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LAHORE, Pakistan – Gaby Lewis’s side dashed Scotland’s slim hopes of World Cup qualification when they got home on the last ball of the game, a scampered leg-bye enough to hand Ireland a one-wicket win.  

Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce had a stellar all-round performance. Having won the toss, she elected to bat first and finished the innings with 131*, her first one-day century and the highest score by a Scottish woman. She also bowled well, taking 3-49 in nine overs, but couldn’t manage to bowl a dot on the final ball of the game to force the game to a super over.  

Ireland started well with ball in hand, dismissing half of the Scotland batters for just 100 runs. Kathryn Bryce was still out in the middle, though, and along with the middle and lower order, elevated Scotland’s total to 268-7, adding 80 in the final 10 overs. The wickets were shared around for Ireland, with Ava Canning (3-48) and Cara Murray (2-48) the most successful.  

Ireland’s openers set a fantastic platform in the chase, Sarah Forbes (55) and Gaby Lewis (61) adding 109 for the first wicket. It was a maiden half-century for Forbes who looked settled out in the middle before a moment of miscommunication resulted in her being run out. A couple of deliveries later, Ireland lost their second when Amy Hunter edged onto her pad and will consider herself unlucky to have been caught by Scotland keeper Sarah Bryce.  

Gaby Lewis followed soon after when she was also caught behind and at the halfway stage, Scotland felt they were back in the game. Orla Prendergast (33) and Laura Delany (57*) added 41 for the fourth wicket but once Prendergast was out caught off the bowling of Kathryn Bryce, Scotland consistently took wickets. Leah Paul (11), Louise Little (1) and Sophie MacMahon (3) could not stay with set batter Delany.  

It was Ireland’s number nine, Jane Maguire (28), who took the game on and took her chances to record her highest score just when it was needed. She was out on the final delivery of the penultimate over with Ireland needing seven off the last.  

The final over was bowled, of course, by Kathryn Bryce. Delany looked to pierce a packed off-side field on the first delivery but couldn’t find the gap, but she did manage a single off the second. Ava Canning was the new batter in and a sweetly timed shot wide of long-on went for four and seemingly put an end to Scottish hopes. Bryce wasn’t finished, though, and nipped one between bat and pad to bowl Canning.  

Two runs from two deliveries were now needed with Cara Murray last batter in and on strike. Bryce bowled it into the pads of Murray who scampered to the non-striker’s end and gave responsibility to her senior partner to claim the win. Another leg bye was enough to give Ireland victory and to deny Scotland not only a famous victory, but also two points that could have possibly put them in contention to qualify for the World Cup had things gone their way tomorrow. Laura Delany was named Player of the Match for her heroics at the backend of the Ireland innings.  

As it stands, Scotland remain ahead of Ireland in third place on the table by net run rate, but Gaby Lewis’s team will be happy to have managed to get over the line in a tight match after being on the losing side in tight matches in their first three games. It also marks the end of the Ed Joyce era. The head coach signed off after six years in charge today with one of the most thrilling victories of his tenure.  

Scorecard here.