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Ireland women record a seven wicket win to return to winning ways
Ireland Women were back in action in the ECB County Championships Division 2 against Worcestershire today.
The team were looking to bounce back from two losses in their last three games in the competition.

Kim Garth made her first appearance for the team this year and with both Cecelia Joyce and Clare Shillington available for the fixture, the batting line-up looked a little more secure.

Elena Tice was also back in the fold following the completion of her Junior Certificate while Lucy O’Reilly was a late addition to the travelling squad after off-spinner Eimear Richardson was ruled out due to illness.

Ireland won the toss and elected to bowl, and Louise McCarthy and Amy Kenealy found it difficult to control the ball in windy, overcast conditions. It was Garth who came on first change that eventually saw an edge make it’s way to Mary Waldron’s gloves for the first wicket, her spell of 7-2-15-2 putting Ireland firmly back into the driver’s seat after a few loose overs.

Elena Tice marked her return to the team with an incisive spell of leg-spin bowling taking two wickets for just 20 from her nine overs. Lucy O’Reilly also impressed, claiming her first two wickets for the Ireland team, her five overs going for 15.

Melissa Scott-Hayward took three wickets while Isobel Joyce took the remaining one to dismiss Worcestershire for 148 in the 45th over. Joyce brought some good form into the game after scoring 50 for Merrion men’s second XI yesterday in Division two, the first half-century scored by a female in senior cricket.

Clare Shillington and Joyce began well, speeding to 39 after five overs before Shillington (17) was bowled. Garth joined Joyce and the pair added 38 to the tally before Joyce (44) was caught fortuitously in mid-wicket.

Her sister Cecelia joined Garth and the pair started slowly at first, happy to chip away at the total. They accelerated well after drinks, Joyce in particular taking on the spinners well before not quite connecting with a slog sweep and being caught in deep mid-wicket.

Scott-Hayward accumulated five and Garth ended on 40 when Ireland bypassed their target comfortably with seven wickets in hand.

The scorecard in full can be found by clicking here.

The team have four wins from six in the competition so far. Next up are Staffordshire and Lancashire on the 14th and 15th of July.

Ireland have won four out of six County Championship matches this year
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