News

Ireland Women’s World Cup Qualifying campaign got off to a perfect start in Colombo with a convincing 119 run win over challengers Zimbabwe.

Captain Laura Delany made her highest score in a green shirt leading from the front in a clinical all-round display.
“We are delighted to start the tournament off with a win,” said Irish skipper Delany. “We built good partnerships throughout the innings allowing the middle order to accelerate towards the end.

“Our bowlers were clinical with the ball and we are hoping to carry this momentum into our next game on Wednesday against Sri Lanka.”

Player of the Match Kim Garth’s superb form continued as she top scored with 63 and took three wickets to make the award a formality.

She paid tribute to Zimbabwe, but was delighted at the nature of the Irish performance.

“Just great to start off with a win,” said the Pembroke all-rounder. “Zimbabwe bowled and fielded well and we did a good job to post that total in these conditions.

“We were clinical with the ball and will take confidence from that into tomorrow’s game against the hosts.”

Experienced leg-spinner Ciara Metcalfe picked up three wickets and praised her team-mates for an almost perfect game plan.

“A fantastic start to our campaign, really a full team performance,” said The Hills star. We played some great cricket and stuck to our game plan.

“Zimbabwe were very athletic in the field and bowled well in spells on a wicket that was very slow.

“The Sri Lanka tie is a huge game for us. We’ll be looking to take a scalp of a team ranked higher than us and put us in good position for an advancement to the Super Sixes stage,” concluded Metcalfe.

Opening bowler Amy Kenealy was making her 50th appearance for Ireland, and she was delighted to give her team a real fillip with two early wickets.

“I’m really chuffed to earn the 50th cap and topped it off with a fantastic opening win with the team,” said the Leinster opening bowler. “It’s always great to get thrown the new ball and two scalps to boot, which I thought really gave us a lift.

“There really were some superb performances by the girls with the bat, where I thought we accelerated nicely through the 50 overs with some great partnerships from the skipper Laura Delany and her vice-captain Kim Garth,” added Kenealy.

“Kim was the stand-out player for us today and hugely deserving of player of the match.

“There’s no time to rest on our laurels as we have back-to back matches, so it’ll be a stretch, ice bath, some food, then hit the hay and hopefully another all-round performance from the team tomorrow.”

The final word goes to Head Coach Aaron Hamilton who was clearly proud of his young charges.

“We constructed our innings really well,” said Hamilton. ” Laura Delany spent some valuable time at the crease in making 47 and her partnership of 94 with Kim set us up nicely for the middle and late order to be aggressive at the back end.

“A fantastic bowling and fielding display gives us a great start but we move on now to the challenge of Sri Lanka and another huge game.”

No
Connaught