Even Ireland Women’s eighth highest ODI total and by more than 70 their best against England could not prevent the hosts from taking a 1-0 lead in the first of the three-match series.

Unfortunately, and almost predictably, a misfield gave England the winning boundary in Leicester – it wasn’t the first - as they completed their biggest ever successful chase, passing Ireland’s 281 for five at the start of the 39th over.

The writing was on the wall as soon as the sixth over when two horrible misfields inside the circle gave up two of the 13 boundaries inside the powerplay when England had 72 on the board.

Ireland had conceded a double century opening stand in the first game of the series against West Indies in Bready back in July but Cara Murray ended the Maria Bouchier-Sarah Dunkley stand at 135 in her third over, holding on to a low return catch to dismiss Dunkley for 73.

Four overs later Murray struck again, bowling Jodi Grewcock for just nine but Bouchier went on to complete her second ODI century out of 220 in the 31st over.

Arlene Kelly dismissed the player of the match four balls later for 104, caught at long-on by Orla Prendergast, but by then it was only a matter of time before England reached their target and 36 from 22 balls by Freya Kemp ensured it was quicker rather than later.

She couldn’t see it through to the finish, caught by Alice Tector to give Murray her third wicket on a day when, as captain Gaby Lewis admitted afterwards, the “bowlers were under the pump”.

 “It’s not for lack of trying but we have to execute our skills under pressure,” she said.

England captain Charlie Dean had won the toss but Lewis confirmed that Ireland would have batted anyway. The captain, who took 14 balls to get off the mark, was probably happy enough with a total of 51 for one at the end of the powerplay with Alice Tector, one of three changes to the team that lost the last game against West Indies, the wicket to fall, caught behind for 11.

Lewis and Hunter then put on 136 for the second wicket, with the return of Issy Wong ending the stand in the 30th over, Lewis bowled for 69 from 89 balls.  

Orla Prendergast looked a million dollars as she struck two fours and a six to maintain Ireland’s momentum but going for a fourth boundary, she only found the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

Hunter lasted until the 37th over but on 62, from 90 balls, she went down the pitch to Dean and was bowled. That left Ireland on 184 for four and many were fearing a 220 all out. But Rebecca Stokell and Leah Paul didn’t agree and in the most attractive batting of the innings added 87 for the fifth wicket in 12 overs.

Stokell became the third batter to raise her bat for a half-century, indeed she received applause twice but the first time everyone thought she had reached 50, with a boundary from her 37th delivery, had actually come straight off her helmet.

She was then given out leg before but, after taking the review, the ball had pitched outside leg stump.

Eleven balls after the first applause for her 50, the crowd could finally acknowledge it and, although losing her partner in the penultimate over, a second wicket for Dean, Stokell was 54 not out at the end – and still, along with Hunter and Lewis the only batters to have reached 50 in this World Championship.

They will try again for that elusive first win on Thursday afternoon when the teams meet again in Derby.