Clare Shillington hit her maiden T20 International century against Japan in the home country’s first match of the tournament to put the girls in green in a great position to roll over Japan.
Batting first, captain Isobel Joyce was dismissed for five when she was caught at mid-wicket from a leading edge. Joyce’s sister Cecelia took her place and went about batting with Shillington for the rest of the innings.
The Malahide batter finished on 114 not out from 77 while Joyce finished on 40 from 36, the pair setting a total of 170. Japan began slowly with Louise McCarthy and Eimear Richardson bowling tight lines, the former with a return of 4-0-12-1 while Richardson went for three in her two overs.
Melissa Scott-Hayward took over from Richardson and took two wickets for eight runs from three. Kim Garth and Lucy O’Reilly also took two wickets apiece while legspinner Elena Tice claimed three, finishing with impressive figures of 4-1-10-3.
Japan were all-out for 53 in the 18th over, leaving Ireland with a 117-run victory. The full scorecard can be seen here.
The Girls in Green face Canada on Thursday morning at 10am in Merrion CC – admission is free for all spectators so please get down to Angelsea Road, Dublin 4 and support Ireland’s attempt to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh 2014.
The game will be live-scored and you can follow the Women’s progress here.
Clare Shillington was named Player of the Match © ICC/Ian Jacobs
Cricket Ireland
Clare Shillington and Cecelia Joyce celebrate © ICC/Ian Jacobs
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