Ireland head to England at the end of August still without a win in the Women’s ODI Championship after West Indies completed a 3-0 clean sweep at Bready. 

The Ireland batters had no answers to the spin trio of Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack and Afy Fletcher who took eight of the wickets as Ireland were bowled out at the start of the 44th over for 193.

The Ireland bowlers did take all 10 wickets, and reduced their visitors to 82 for five, but Stafanie Taylor would not be moved until the final ball of the innings, becoming only the fifth women to score 10,000 ODI runs on her way to a score of 105, her 10th ODI century.

Ireland were undoubtedly helped by a chaotic few overs in the middle of the first innings as they were gifted back to back run outs as West Indies slumped to 48 for four and then Deandra Dottin was unluckily stumped off Amy Hunter’s pads.

But Taylor got solid support in successive partnerships of 73 and 50 as Ireland failed to ram home their advantage. Orla Prendergast was the pick of the bowlers with two for 37 from her 10 overs, and Jane Maguire, back in the team in favour of Cara Murray, finished with two for 44.

Captain Gaby Lewis gave Ireland the perfect start with 50 from 49 balls but failed to score from the next nine and then holed out immediately after drinks to the solitary fielder on the leg side boundary.

Prendergast seemed to be unlucky to given out caught behind down the leg side and with Hunter scooping Fletcher straight to slip, Ireland’s Big Three were gone with just 95 on the board.

Even with 30 overs left, the distant target of 258 proved too much and although Leah Paul and Louise Little scored 55 between them, it was always difficult getting the spinners away and they used up 86 balls.

If the middle order couldn’t score quickly against the slow bowlers it was always going to be too much for the tail and so it proved.
Matthews was named player of the series.