Louise Little produced a flurry of late boundaries in Southampton on Tuesday night to lift Ireland to 118-9 in their second T20 World Cup group match but it wasn’t enough to stretch a very strong England side despite an early scare or three. Aimee Maguire claimed both openers in the space of three balls and Orla Prendergast knocked back middle stump with a perfect yorker to leave the hosts wobbling on 35-3. But with in-form strike bowler Ava Canning rested as a precaution, Ireland couldn’t
maintain the pressure and England reached their target with a lot more to spare than four wickets and 15 balls would suggest. While much could still be learned from England’s far more positive running between wickets, given the quality of the opposition it was a greatly improved performance by Ireland following Saturday’s dismal loss to Scotland. Asked to bat first, luck wasn’t with the Girls in Green either as first captain Gaby Lewis connected with a scoop shot first ball only to find short fine
leg and then Prendergast chopped on for 26. Pembroke all-rounder Prendergast had looked in prime form, hitting four boundaries with one lofted straight drive landing just inside the ropes — the closest Ireland came to a maximum. Teenager Alice Tector, playing her first game at the Utilita Bowl where her brother Harry helped Ireland to victory over England in 2020, struggled to find the gaps early in her innings then got a little too ambitious and fell for 10 trying to clear mid-on. At 81-7,
the visitors were in danger of finishing short of three figures but Little had other ideas, racing to 26 not out from only 15 balls, including four boundaries in the final over. Ireland’s next assignment is against New Zealand at the same ground on Friday — a challenge that doesn’t look quite so daunting now the reigning champions have also lost both their opening matches.
Ireland vs England T20 World Cup, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Orla Prendergast, Ava Canning, Gaby Lewis, Alice Tector, Southampton, New Zealand next match, Utilita Bowl