Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast took Ireland to within one hit of beating New Zealand in Southampton before the defending T20 World Cup champions squeezed to victory by four runs.

Make no mistake, the Kiwis were rattled from the moment they slipped to 10-3 in the powerplay till Prendergast was caught in the deep with 25 needed from 15 balls and nine wickets in hand.

The Pembroke all-rounder’s 59 from 53 balls contained Ireland’s one six, as well as five fours.

Rebecca Stokell drove to mid-off two balls later and Lewis followed in the next over for an excellent 58 from 53 balls.

With New Zealand turning the screw, Leah Paul and Louise Little were unable to find the 15 needed from the final over, and the champions — who had lost their first two matches — lived to fight another day.

A third defeat for Ireland means the Girls in Green cannot qualify for the semi-finals, even if they win their remaining Group 2 matches against Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

“There is a lot of emotion because we wanted a win desperately but let it slip through the cracks,” Lewis said.

“We were waiting for that big over but it didn’t come and we got out at bad times. 

“We’re really disappointed but we’re getting better with every game, and we’re a young group. The girls are learning — which is massive”

Lewis had decided to bowl and couldn’t have wished for a better start as New Zealand lost both openers in seven deliveries and a third wicket in the fourth over.

As she so often does, Prendergast led the way, taking two of those early wickets, and Aimee Maguire the other.

After a loose first over Cara Murray was the pick of the Ireland spinners taking 2-26 while Auckland-born Arlene Kelly, bowling stumps-to-stumps, was economical and claimed a wicket against her countrywomen.

Sometimes a single shot can change the course of a game, though, and when veteran Suzie Bates lifted the final ball of the innings over fine leg for six, to take her side to 140-6, it was New Zealand who went into the break with the momentum.

The balance swung further towards the defending champions when Amy Hunter failed to get her bat down on a perfect yorker in the second over of the chase but it was wrested back by Lewis and Prendergast in a second-wicket partnership of 110.

The big over Lewis talked about that would have decided the game eluded the pair, though, and the fear was that once one got out it would be very difficult for the remaining batters to score at 10s.

So it proved — but what an effort.