Ireland’s Women’s Cricketers have laid down a marker for the upcoming T20 World Cup in South Africa with a statement warm-up fixture victory over the World Number One ranked Australia.
Set 167 to win, Ireland’s opening batters Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter, and then Orla Prendergast, came out all guns blazing, scoring 67 in the first seven overs to break the back of the chase.
At 81-4 approaching the halfway stage, Australia would still have fancied their chances, but captain Laura Delany showed class and experience in her innings of 32 off 28 balls which was supported by Louise Little’s 21 off 16 and ensured Ireland still just stay in the hunt but remained ahead of the required rate.
Both would fall in quick succession however, and Mary Waldron kept things going before Leah Paul and Arlene Kelly completed a victory that many will consider a surprise, but not the Irish fans who have seen the star of this side rise over the past 12-18 months.
Earlier in the morning Australia won the toss and opted to bat first on a Stellenbosch University surface that was good for batting. Ireland’s playing XI remained unchanged from the side that lost narrowly to Sri Lanka on Monday at the same venue.
Ireland showed every bit of the aggression and fearlessness Head Coach Ed Joyce has been instilling in this young side who will be encouraged not just to have gone toe-to-toe with the world champs, but to have completed a statement win that gives them momentum heading into their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Group match on Monday against England.
They will then play against Pakistan on Wednesday the 15th, the West Indies on Friday the 19th, and India on Monday the 20th of February.
The Top two in each group will go forward to a semi-final.
