Ireland backed up pre-series talk of their rise up the international rankings with a pair of victories during England’s five-match white-ball tour of Belfast and Dublin.
On Wednesday, Gaby Lewis’s knock of 72 went a long way to securing a first ODI victory over their neighbours across the Irish Sea since 2001. The win was ultimately secured by an English fielding error in a dramatic final over. Hollie Armitage misread the path of the ball on a wet Stormont outfield, running past Alana Dalzell’s heave down the ground to gift the four runs required off the final ball.
That Irish victory was but a consolation in a 2-1 England series win in the 50-over games. Tammy Beaumont scored a combined 202 runs in the last two games, including a hundred which saw her overtake Charlotte Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt as England’s leading ODI century-maker. Stand-in captain Kate Cross also excelled with nine wickets in England’s pair of victories, no more so than her three for eight which ran through Ireland’s top order in game two as they were bowled out for their lowest ever ODI total of 45.
Once the tour moved to Dublin for the T20 internationals, Ireland responded to level the series 1-1, earning their first ever short-format win over England. Orla Prendergast passed 50 in both games as the hosts won another final-over thriller on Sunday.
England’s players to watch for the future…
Seren Smale
Of England’s 11 debutants across the two formats, Smale looked the most comfortable. Batting three in the T20s, scores of 25 and 10 were not a stellar return, but the nature of Smale’s boundary hitting will turn heads. The ability to use her feet and hit the Irish spinners back over their heads illustrated both touch and power – even if the shot led to her downfall in the second T20. Improvement needed with the gloves, but it is not inconceivable to see Smale challenge for the role of back-up keeper to Amy Jones in the not-too-distant future.
Freya Kemp
Perhaps it is strange to label one of the two players who featured both against Ireland and is in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad an up-and-comer; Kemp also has more than 20 international caps. Still, aged just 19, she remains one of England’s brightest prospects. Her 65 in the second ODI of the Ireland tour was arguably the most impressive knock from an English batter, such was the fluidity of her strokeplay and effortless power. Three wickets across the two games in which she did bowl continued an encouraging comeback after an injury-filled 18 months. Given England have only one specialist seamer in their squad in the UAE, Kemp’s left arm in-swing could be vital.
Charis Pavely
Given Sophie Ecclestone is still just 25, any other English left-arm spinner is likely to be a fringe player for the next decade or so. Still, Pavely, aged 19, looks to have a good chance of adding to her first two international caps earned on this tour. Her three for 19 on debut helped ensure a steady stream of wickets which killed the game off early. Ireland enjoyed Pavely’s left-arm spin more in the second T20, but she was not helped by her captain’s insistence to keep mid-off in the ring. Still, the left-arm angle and ability to bowl darts in the powerplay represent an intriguing skill set.
Ryana MacDonald-Gay
Similar to Smale, MacDonald-Gay’s overall numbers will not grab the headlines. Yet the flashes of talent that did emerge offered plenty of encouragement. MacDonald-Gay took only two wickets across three matches, but a beauty of a nip-backer to bowl Lewis illustrated a high skill level with the ball. With the bat, a cameo of 17 off 13 in the third ODI went a long way to turning a disastrous position of 115-7 into 153 all out.
Mady Villiers
Aged 26 and with moren than 20 international caps to her name, Villiers does not count as a prospect anymore. Yet given her status on the outside looking in of the first-choice England squad, her performances in Ireland are of note. Entrusted to defend eight runs off the final over of the third ODI, Villiers targeted the stumps, taking two wickets which should have secured victory, only for Armitage’s fielding error. Also came close to defending just seven off the final over of the second T20. With the bat, her ability to move around the crease to access gaps in the field was second to none in the first T20.
And for Ireland…
Orla Prendergast
Picked before the series as one to watch, Prendergast cemented her status as one of the game’s most exciting all-rounders. A career-best score of 80 in the second T20 all but secured a famous victory, while it was her second half-century in as many days. She also passed 50 in the first ODI, while she troubled England’s openers in that game when swinging the new ball in to the right-handers. Prendergast recently cut her hand while playing for the Blaze in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, and despite bleeding on the ball when bowling, she fought through the pain. After recently securing a Big Bash contract, this series should see more franchises come calling.
Aimee Maguire
Ireland have long been calling out for a reliable spinner. Maguire, 18, could well look back on this week as the moment she arrived on the international stage. In the third ODI, her five-wicket haul was vital to restricting England to a total which Ireland ultimately chased down. There, England struggled to find any timing against Maguire’s extreme flight and lack of pace. In the T20s, she varied her speeds more often, adding a quicker, flatter delivery to her armoury. She took a further five wickets across the two games, ensuring she recorded career-best ODI and T20I figures in the same week.
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