England remains unbeaten after massive victory over Ireland
England finally cracked the 200-run code at the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in a dominant, 121-run Super Six stage win over Ireland in Potchefstroom.
Having threatened to reach that milestone a couple of times in the group stages of the tournament, England finally broke through by scoring 207 for the loss of just two wickets on a placid JB Marks Oval wicket and bowled Ireland out for 86.
The total was the second over the double century mark (after India’s 219/3 against the UAE). Dynamic opening duo of skipper Grace Scrivens and Liberty Heap again laid the foundation with a massive opening stand of 136 which bettered their own record for the biggest in the tournament by 13 runs.
Scrivens, who scored a typically aggressive 93 (56 balls, 15 fours and two sixes), came perilously close to being the first player to score a century in the tournament, while Heap chipped in with a brisk, 29-ball 42 (seven boundaries).
Niamh Holland (34 off 21 balls, four fours) and Seren Smale (30 off 14, five boundaries), kept the foot on the gas by finishing with a quick and unbeaten 49-run partnership of their own to get England over the 200-run mark.
On a day in which the Irish team were chasing leather, the bowlers understandably came in for a bit of punishment, with left-arm orthodox Aimee Maguire’s figures of 1/24 off three overs the nearest thing to someone reining in the English batters.
Ireland’s reply began with the carefree approach of a team with nothing to lose, but they lost wickets early and lost them regularly, four of them in the power play to see them slip to 34/4 after six overs.
With the England bowling attack – which on the day was led by the miserly left-arm spinner Sophia Smale (3/11 off four overs) and the talented leg-spinner Hannah Baker (3/9 off 2.5) – in typically clinical mood, the question became how much Ireland would lose by.
Only Abbi Harrison (16), Maguire (14) and Siuin Woods (13) broke into double figures in what they will be the first to admit was a disappointing batting effort.
England now have six points in the Group 2 standings of the Super Sixes stage, having entered the group with four points.
Scores in brief:
Toss: England, who elected to bat.
England 207 for 2 in 20 overs (Grace Scrivens 93, Liberty Heap 42, Aimee Maguire one for 24, Freya Sargent one for 48)
Ireland 86 all out in 16.5 overs (Abbi Harrison 16, Aimee Maguire 14, Sophia Smale three for 11, Hannah Baker three for 9)
England won by 121 runs after 16.5 overs.