When Orla Prendergast bowled Alice Capsey to reduce England to 35 for three, Ireland dared to dream. But the depth of England’s batting and the lack of it in the Ireland bowling ensured a second victory for the hosts in the T20 Women’s World Cup and a second defeat for Ireland.

But, all credit to Gaby Lewis’ side, attempting to defend 118 they never gave up, despite a match-winning fourth wicket partnership of 64 between the experienced duo of captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and her predecessor, Heather Knight. The return of Prendergast broke the stand and with the help of Sciver-Brunt retiring hurt and a run out, Ireland had the satisfaction of reducing the margin to four wickets and keeping England in the field for 17.3 overs.

The damage was done early, however. Ireland know they cannot afford Amy Hunter and Lewis to face only six balls and score six runs between them if they are to post a challenging total but that is what happened in the Hampshire Bowl. Hunter missed a sweep shot to the number one world ranked T20 bowler Linsey Smith and then Lewis intentionally scooped her first ball but only found the fielder at short fine leg.

Alana Dalzell is still Hunter’s opening partner and although she took seven off the first over, she was caught in the covers in the fifth over for 14. Rebecca Stokell was stumped before she could reach double figures and Leah Paul, another of the six batters to fall to spin, and Alice Tector both perished after scoring just one run more.

Orla Prendergast was well set on 26 off just 18 balls so will have been disappointed to play on, Sophie Ecclestone was too good for Arlene Kelly and Cara Murray, but Louise Little – the one change from the opening game, replacing the injured Ava Canning – ended the innings by hitting four boundaries in the last over to finish joint top scorer.

They were actually the second joint top scorers in the match because only Sciver-Brunt bettered them with 48 but by then Ireland’s two wicket-takers had been bowled out. Prendergast and Aimee Maguire had combined figures of four for 40 from eight overs, leaving the other four bowlers to finish with 0-78 from 9.3 overs.

Amy Jones and Danni Wyatt-Hodge had put on 135 for the first wicket in their opening game against Sri Lanka but Maguire, with the help of two catches by Lewis, removed both in her third over with the total on 28. Prendergast got the wicket she deserved in her third over also and it was probably with great reluctance that Lewis took both of them off at the end of the powerplay. Without Canning, the pressure was never the same again, and only the late fall of wickets, delayed the inevitable result.

Ireland stay in Southampton for their next game, again under the lights, on Friday against New Zealand, the other team in Group 2 to have lost their first two games.