Issy Wong stars with five-wicket haul as England ease to series victory

Wong was in sublime form as she put Ireland’s batting line-up to the sword, conceding just 33 runs from her 10 overs while Mady Villiers and Tilly Corteen-Coleman both claimed a couple of wickets.

Amy Hunter backed her 62 at Leicester with an 11th ODI half-century and was the pick of the Ireland batters once more after hitting 64 off 96 balls.

However, Ireland lost their final six wickets for just 25 runs, collapsing from 140 for four to 165 all out at the halfway stage.

England had to chase a record target of 282 on Tuesday, but this was a formality as opening pair Maia Bouchier and Sophia Dunkley put on 54 runs for the first wicket before Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson finished the job in 23 overs for an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl, and they made an early breakthrough courtesy of some brilliant fielding by Dunkley, who saw a pinpoint throw catch Alice Tector marginally short of her crease.

Ireland were unable to let their hands free in the powerplay, totalling 32 before Wong picked up the second wicket of the day to castle captain Gaby Lewis on 19.

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Scoreboard pressure piled on the visitors and Orla Prendergast looked to heave one over deep mid-wicket, but Kemp was waiting to swallow the catch on the boundary as she departed for 25 before Villiers sent Rebecca Stokell back to pavilion.

Hunter was still hanging in there for Ireland as the away side finally surpassed the 100-run mark after 30 overs and she helped herself to her second successive half-century.

But just as she steadied the ship with partner Leah Paul, Wong bowled the latter for 23 to leave Ireland on 140 for five with 12 overs to play.

Wong claimed her third and fourth wickets when Louise Little and Cara Murray both chipped into the hands of Jodi Grewcock to put Ireland seven down.

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The seamer brought up her five-wicket haul to dismiss the dangerous Hunter as she tried to up the scoring rate before Corteen-Coleman swept up the remaining wickets and bowl Ireland out for 165.

In reply, Bouchier and Dunkley picked up where they left off in Leicester with a 54-run partnership, but the latter was run out by Prendergast to break the early storm.

Ireland were not going down without a fight though, Kia McCartney ensured Bouchier fell five runs short of her half-century before she trapped Alice Capsey (1) in front.

England still needed 47 runs when Grewcock was dismissed by Murray on 24, but Gibson brought the result home with a pair of sixes with over half an innings to spare.