AN impressive half century off only 49 balls from Gaby Lewis wasn’t enough to prevent Ireland from falling to a third defeat in their three-match one-day international series with the West Indies.
The captain had given Ireland an ideal start in their pursuit of the 257 that they had been set by the tourists, who this time were first into bat.
The Irish bowlers did manage to take all 10 West Indian wickets, but despite Lewis’ 50 that mark proved just too high for the batters to match and they were only able to reach 193 when the final wicket fell from the first ball of the 44th over.
Ireland had made a solid start with the ball, the West Indies able to score just 82 runs for their first five wickets. A century from Stafanie Taylor was a major help to their innings as she kept her wicket through to the final ball. In reaching 105 before being run out she notched her 10th ODI century and also became only the fifth woman to score 10,000 ODI runs.
Earlier back-to-back run outs and Amy Hunter’s stumping of Deandra Dottin had the West Indies sitting at just 48 for four. That was before Taylor really got going, with a partnership of 73 and another of 50 and the total began to rise at a faster rate as the Irish bowling attack became frustrated.
Orla Prendergast did take two wickets for 37 runs in her 10 overs while Jane Maguire, who returned in favour of Cara Murray, took two for 44.
Lewis saw her opening partner Sarah Forbes out lbw for just two runs and after reaching her 50 then failed to score from the next nine balls before being caught on the leg side boundary.
Orla Prendergast was next to go on eight and went Hunter was caught at slip Ireland’s best batting hopes had gone with 95 on the board and the middle order were facing a big task.
There were still 30 overs left and although Leah Paul and Louise Little combined to add 55 to the total outscoring the West Indies proved to be too much against a spin bowling attack of Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack and Afy Fletcher who took eight of the wickets
Ireland now go to England at the end of August still looking for a first win in the Women’s ODI Championship.
