It was a day of milestones at Stormont where Ireland completed a facile 97 runs victory over Zimbabwe in the first of two Women’s one-day internationals between the teams.

It is Ireland’s favourite opposition for chalking up landmarks, dating back to Amy Hunter becoming the youngest player to score an ODI century in Harare – on her 16th birthday. But it was coincidence that almost four years on, both Hunter and Orla Prendergast were within touching distance of reaching 1,000 ODI runs and Cara Murray was two short of 50 ODI wickets.

All three reached their mark, Hunter with something to spare. Needing only 23 to get into four figures, she added another 20 but Prendergast could add only two runs to the 48 she required and Murray had to take the ninth Zimbabwe wicket to get her second wicket of the match.

And it was that sort of day for Ireland. Even though they posted 288 for nine - their fifth highest total - three players got to 50 but Sarah Forbes, back in now familiar role as opener in ODIs, was top scorer with 54. And in a horrible last 10 overs – for which Zimbabwe deserved  the highest credit – Ireland lost seven wickets and scored just 43 runs.

Skipper Gaby Lewis was the first to give her wicket away, two balls after reaching her 50 in an opening stand of 116 and Forbes, Prendergast  and Laura Delany, the other batter to make an excellent start, all followed in tame fashion – perhaps bored or complacent at just how easy it was.

But after Delany’s dismissal at the start of the 45th over, it was a procession back to the players’ tent with a wicket falling in every over apart from the 49th when Murray helped herself to eight runs. It was the solitary fight as the question asked at 30 overs - when Ireland were 176 for two - how many more than 300 Ireland would total, was rendered meaningless.

It was still almost certainly a winning total – Zimbabwe had never scored that many in an ODI – and when Prendergast, captain for the second innings because Lewis did not take the field, started with two maiden overs, only the margin of victory was in doubt.

Yet Ireland were content to let Zimbabwe try and bat out the overs – they failed by 11 balls -  with ridiculously defensive fields, despite the visitors being 34 for three after 10 overs.

Lara McBride, on her ODI debut, outbowled  the more experienced Murray, finishing with figures of two for 25 while the Dragons leg spinner conceded more than twice as many from just two overs more.

The most pleasing sight was player of the match Orla Prendergast bowling her full quota of 10 overs for the second consecutive match – and figures of two for 20 showed just how important she is to this attack.

Hopefully, more players step up in the second match on Monday.