Innings Eire 238 for 7 (Lewis 92, Paul 59, Mishra 2-56) vs India
Prendergast was stumped after being lulled right into a drive, whereas Delany was foxed by a fallacious’un that spun previous her inside edge to crash into the stumps. However with the sport seemingly of their clutches, India let the benefit slip due to their poor fielding and a few wayward bowling.
They dropped 4 catches in all. Lewis was the primary to be reprieved on 59 when Richa Ghosh bailed out of a catch to cease a wholesome edge along with her boot. Then Paul was let off in back-to-back overs, off Titas Sadhu at deep midwicket and by Mishra off her personal bowling, after the batter had crossed her seventh ODI half-century.
Then with Eire on the lookout for end-overs acceleration, Harleen Deol reprieved Arlene Kelly at further cowl. Eire ultimately managed to final all the 50 overs, which ought to rely as a mini-victory of kinds given solely two gamers – Lewis and Delany – had prior expertise of getting performed in India.
Leah Paul introduced out the reverse-sweep•BCCI
The primary ball that beat the bat was within the fifth over, and off the subsequent supply India had their first breakthrough when Sarah Forbes nicked Titas Sadhu to Deepti Sharma at a large first slip. Una Raymond-Hoey obtained underway with a pleasant sq. drive however was run out making an attempt a non-existent single to further cowl.
Lewis saved punching, fast to pounce on something quick as she raised Eire’s 50 within the thirteenth over with a fierce front-of-square pull off Saima Thakor. Prendergast too seemed to take the assault to spinners however was out one ball after lofting Mishra down the bottom.
The slew of wickets did not dissuade Lewis from counterpunching. She reverse-swept Mishra for back-to-back fours within the sixteenth over. Then when Deepti got here on, she wasn’t afraid to maneuver across the crease and saved choosing her off with wonderful paddles each time she fired them full into the pads.
Lewis benefited from having a busy Paul on the different finish. Like Lewis, Paul was excellent in throwing the spinners off their lengths. The place Lewis was completely satisfied to make use of the tempo to comb or reverse-sweep, Paul compelled the tempo sq. of the wicket, slicing and pulling very nicely. She introduced up her half-century off 58 deliveries within the thirty fourth over as Eire seemed set to cross the 250-run mark.
However Paul’s run-out – she tried a run to mid-off solely to be despatched again – left them 173 for five within the thirty ninth. This era additionally coincided with Lewis cramping up, having little energy in her forearms. As she approached her maiden ODI ton, she slowed down significantly, earlier than she spooned a easy return catch to Deepti for 92.
Cameos from Kelly and Christina Coulter Reilly helped Eire decide up some essential runs within the dying overs, earlier than Satghare despatched again Kelly lbw for her maiden ODI wicket in entrance of her elated household. India will look again at their effort with blended feelings – whereas a younger tempo assault with a mixed expertise of 13 ODIs had an excellent exercise, they’d be disillusioned at their fielding and catching to let the guests publish far more than they need to have.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
