Issy Wong bagged her maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket to power England to a comfortable six-wicket win in the second ODI against Ireland in Derby on Thursday, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in the process.
Wong’s exploits headlined a clinical bowling display by England, who shot Ireland out for a meagre 165 before the batters, led by Maia Bouchier’s 31-ball 45, got the job done with a whopping 27 overs to spare. It was a marked improvement by England’s bowlers having conceded 281 in the series opener in Leicester, although they completed their highest successful ODI chase.
Ireland were rocked early after being asked to bat first, as Alice Tector was run out in the second over before Wong bowled skipper Gaby Lewis for 19 in the final Powerplay over. There were two partnerships of note for the visitors – a 45-run stand for the third wicket between Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast, and a 57-run stand for the fifth between Hunter and Leah Paul. Mady Villiers’ double-strike removed Prendergast and Rebecca Stokell within quick succession before Hunter, who held the innings together with a knock of 64, found an able ally in Paul.
Things soon went pear-shaped though as Ireland lost their last six wickets for 25 runs from 140/4. Wong was the wrecker-in-chief, bowling Paul before removing Louise Little and Cara Murray cheaply. Fittingly, she dismissed Hunter for her fifth wicket before Tilly Corteen-Coleman mopped up the tail as just reward for an economical spell where she gave away just 32 runs from her ten overs.
In response, Bouchier picked up from where she left off in Leicester and got England off to a quick start. She flayed four boundaries off a Jane Maguire over before Sophia Dunkley struck a six and a four off Prendergast as England raced past fifty in seven overs. Dunkley was soon run out but Bouchier continued to pocket more boundaries until her dismissal off the last ball of the Powerplay.
Alice Capsey was dismissed LBW but cameos from Jodi Grewcock and Freya Kemp kept England in cruise control. Grewcock could not see the team through to the finish line, but Danielle Gibson had some fun of her own with an unbeaten 22-ball 36. She slammed two sixes in the space of three balls to wrap up the contest and the series for England, even as Kemp stayed unbeaten on 29 at her end. Ireland’s woes were summed up by the fact that they sent down 11 wides, failing to bowl with the requisite control while defending a modest score.
Brief Scores: Ireland Women 165 all out in 47 overs (Amy Hunter 64; Issy Wong 5-33, Mady Villiers 2-21, Tilly Corteen-Coleman 2-32) lost to England Women 166/4 in 23 overs (Maia Bouchier 45, Danielle Gibson 36*; Kia McCartney 2-45) by 6 wickets.
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