The nervous nineties and the Ireland women

The recent Ireland Women’s tour of South Africa, while without a win, had several moments to savour. But the best innings, Orla Prendergast’s knock at Gqeberha, was bittersweet in that she perished just three runs short of what would have been her second ODI century.

It was the 11th individual innings for Ireland between 90 and 99, seven of which have come since October 2021. So, is this becoming a problem for Ireland’s batswomen?

It certainly appears to be an issue for captain Gaby Lewis, who accounts for four of those nineties, all in ODIs. Not all were her fault of course, with Ireland passing the Zimbabwe total when she made 96* in Harare in 2021, and running out of partners when making an unbeaten 95 v West Indies in Gros Islet two years later. Lewis was also out for 92 twice, away to Netherlands and India. Lewis has also made four Super Series nineties for Scorchers, for whom she has made six centuries.

Lewis of course has passed the 100-mark for Ireland, both in T20s, but two of the women on that Nineties list never did.

Playing for Ireland, Kim Garth made 98 against Thailand at the 2017 World Cup in Colombo, and also made a pair of unbeaten 93s – against Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire for Ireland ‘A’ in the 2012 county championship, and for Ireland U17 v Netherlands three years earlier.

And Isobel Joyce was twice marooned in the 90s, running out of overs when making 91* in Zimbabwe in 2018, and hitting the runs to reach 95* for Ireland ‘A’ against Devon in 2013. Melissa Scott-Hayward also made her career best in that competition in 2012, scoring a 58-ball 97* against Bedfordshire in Totternhoe.

The only incidence of an Irishwoman being dismissed for 99 came 35 years ago at Leicester Ivanoe CC in the picturesque village of Kirby Muxloe, where Ireland faced Denmark in the 1990 European Championship.

Mary Pat Moore opened with Anne Murray and the pair put on 141, before Moore shared a fifty-run partnership with Stella Owens. With the score on 194-2, and 99 against her own name, Moore was bowled by Lene Hensen.

‘I remember being in good form that year,’ recalled Mary Pat. ‘And it being a pretty hot day...and I had played well...and I happened to look at the scoreboard when it said 99... fatal!

‘I then got a little stuck, thinking I just had to get on with it. In classic style, Denmark had tightened the field. I had a bit of a rush of blood to the head and, oh dear, I missed, they hit!

‘The odd thing is, I don't think I'd given a chance that day, and when I did manage to get past that number at Park Avenue [against Denmark five years later], I'm pretty sure I'd been dropped on nought.’

That day in Leicestershire Moore had faced 152 balls and hit 10 fours. Ireland reached 234-4 off their 55 overs and won by 49 runs.

Clare Shillington was next to fall short, making an unbeaten 95 against the Dutch in Miskin Manor in the 2005 Euros.

And that was that until Garth in Colombo 12 years later and the recent spate of nineties.

The Irish top six has been an almost-closed shop for quite a while now, with Lewis, Prendergast, Amy Hunter, Leah Paul and Laura Delany virtually ever-present.

They all have had nineties issues, although Hunter has three Ireland centuries and just one unbeaten 94 for Dragons against Typhoons last summer, for who she has made four tons.

The 97 against South Africa was Prendergast’s sole ninety for Ireland, though she also made 97* against Typhoons in a T20 at Park Avenue last season, and has three SuperSeries centuries too.

Laura Delany ran out of road on 98 against Dragons two years ago, while Leah Paul was bowled on 98 by Scorchers’ Louise Little last June.

The only other ninety by a home player in the SuperSeries came in 2017 when Mary Waldron made 93 for Dragons against Typhoons.

Long before the SuperSeries, Irish women competed in an interprovincial championship through the 1980s and 1990s, divided into teams representing Ulster, South Leinster, North Leinster and, briefly, Munster.

There were four innings that ended in the nineties, all by distinguished internationals.

The first came in 1989 when South Leinster and Leinster CC’s Gwynneth Smith was caught behind off Judith Herbison for 96 in a 50 over match at College Park against Ulster.

The next two came at the same venue four years later – and in the same game, when a Dubliner made a ninety for Ulster, and a Donegal woman did the same for South Leinster.

Stella Owens, by then living up north, batted through the 55 overs to make 98* out of a total of 180-6. South Leinster lost three quick wickets in reply, but Catherine O’Neill (61*) and Miriam Grealey (95*) stayed to complete the win with four overs to spare.

The last old-school interpro ninety was Saibh Young’s unbeaten 91 for SL against Ulster in 1994.

Two Irish internationals did make 90s in New Zealand’s domestic competition, on the same day in 2020.

Eimear Richardson made 97 for Northern Districts against Wellington in Whangarei on February 1st, while just 150km away on the North Auckland peninsula, Arlene Kelly made an unbeaten 93 for Auckland against Central Districts.

The final word goes to former Ireland captain Mary Pat Moore: ‘When it is your day, it is magic. And I guess the most positive thing I can say to anyone who was out in the 90s – What an effort to get that far!’