Ireland Women took a 2-1 lead in the four-match T20I series with a 41-run win over Scotland Women, held at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, on 26 May.
Ireland skipper Laura Delaney stuck to her plan of batting first after winning the toss. Rebecca Stokell and Gaby Lewis added 31 runs for the first wicket before the former was undone on 16 by Abtaha Maqsood. Lewis, too, departed the next over, getting caught by Sarah Bryce off Katherine Fraser.
Delany was proactive from the start, hitting the first six of the innings, before getting stumped off Maqsood. Shauna Kavanagh provided timely acceleration, hitting two sixes in the death overs en route to her 30-ball 37. The hosts posted 134/8. Maqsood, Fraser and Megan McColl picked two wickets each.
In reply, Scotland’s innings never gathered any momentum, especially against a superb opening spell from Orla Prendergast, who took out Sarah Bryce and Becky Glen. They kept losing wickets regularly, leaving too much for Kathryn Bryce in the end. Kathryn stood tall amidst the collapse, for 45 not out. Apart from her, only Sarah, her sister, and Katie McGill touched double digits.
Kathryn played a valiant knock, amassing 45 in 42 balls, but was let down by the lack of support from the other end. In the end, Scotland fell 41 short of the target.
For Ireland, Cara Murray returned figures of 3-18, while both Prendergast and Leah Paul picked two wickets each.
Ireland 134/8 in 20 overs (Shauna Kavanagh 37; Megan McColl 2-16) defeated Scotland 93 in 19 overs (Kathryn Bryce 45*; Cara Murray 3-18) by 41 runs. Player of the Match: Orla Prendergast.