In a 50-over contest at Castle Avenue, Ireland faced a formidable challenge against the powerhouse Australia in the ICC Championship Match as part of the Australia Women tour of Ireland 2023.
Having won the toss, the Irish side chose to bowl, hoping to restrict the strong Australian batting lineup. However, the Aussies put on an impressive display of batting prowess, posting a commanding total of 321/7 in their 50 overs.
The innings was marked by standout performances from several Australian batters. All-rounder Ellyse Perry played a sensational knock, amassing 91 runs off 99 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes. She was well supported by Ashleigh Gardner, who blazed her way to 65 runs off just 39 deliveries, smashing 7 fours and 3 sixes. Beth Mooney contributed 49 runs, while Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham provided valuable contributions of 37 and 29 runs, respectively.
The Irish bowlers struggled to contain the Australian onslaught. Georgina Dempsey was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4 wickets for 54 runs in her 10 overs.
Chasing a daunting target of 322 runs for victory, Ireland faced an uphill battle. Despite determined efforts from some of their batters, they couldn’t keep up with the required run rate. Amy Hunter played a valiant knock, scoring 50 runs off 66 balls, supported by Gaby Lewis, who contributed 37 runs. However, the rest of the batting lineup struggled against the disciplined Australian bowling attack.
The Australian bowlers displayed excellent control and skill, picking up wickets at regular intervals. Georgia Wareham was the star performer with 3 wickets for 33 runs, while Tahlia McGrath and Jess Jonassen chipped in with 2 wickets each.
In the end, Ireland’s innings came to a close at 168 all out in 38.2 overs, handing Australia a convincing 153-run victory and 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Perry’s exceptional batting performance earned her the well-deserved ‘Player of the Match’ award.
Australia take 1-0 lead in the ODI series: https://t.co/BHXDhjrAKq#IREvAUS #ODI #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/kDZO4XuLuo
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) July 25, 2023
With this win, Australia asserted their dominance in the ICC Championship Match series, and Ireland will be eager to bounce back in the next encounter, scheduled to take place at the same venue on Friday, July 28.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
