Cricket
Sophia Dunkley stars as England complete ODI clean sweep against Ireland
England completed a series clean sweep against Ireland with a dominant victory in the third one-day international at Worcester.
Sophia Dunkley starred with a century as England finished their innings on 291 all out, and Ireland were never close to threatening that total, going down by 114 runs.
Ireland won the toss and chose to bowl, and Orla Prendergast thought she had trapped Dunkley in front with the score on just two, but England reviewed the decision and the replay showed the ball had hit the bat.
Dunkley emphatically made the most of her second chance, going on to make 119, her highest one-day international score.
The 28-year-old and fellow opener Maia Bouchier put on 61 in the first power play before Bouchier gave a catch to Gaby Lewis off the bowling of Kia McCartney when she looked set on 39.
Dunkley reached her second ODI century off exactly 100 balls, dominating a partnership of 110 with Jodi Grewcock, who fell for 35 to a soft caught-and-bowled from Cara Murray.
Alice Capsey was then unfortunate to be run out after McCartney deflected Dunkley’s drive onto the stumps.
Dunkley’s innings came to an end with England on 214 when Prendergast caught her on the boundary, and the home side’s innings began to unravel after Freya Kemp was caught by Lewis at long-off.
They lost their final six wickets for just 31 runs, including Dani Gibson for 41, with Murray finishing with four wickets for 56 runs from her 10 overs.
Arlene Kelly, meanwhile, claimed a wicket in her final international for Ireland, with Ryana MacDonald-Gay picking out Murray.
A smattering of rain in the interval did not disrupt the contest, and England were in the ascendancy throughout Ireland’s reply.
Ireland managed only 39 from the first power play and lost Lewis, who gave Lauren Filer her 50th international wicket when she picked out MacDonald-Gay at fine leg.
Ireland progressed cautiously to 80 for one before Tilly Corteen-Coleman bowled Alice Tector for 29, and Mady Villiers was next among the wickets, with Capsey stumping Amy Hunter for 39.
Another stumping left the visitors on 127 for four, Rebecca Stokell coming down the wicket but missing a short ball from MacDonald-Gay, and Prendergast sent a skier off Villiers into the hands of Bouchier.
The Ireland tail offered little resistance, with their final five wickets falling for just 10 runs.
That included Kelly managing just two runs, the 32-year-old’s 110th and final match for Ireland ending when she chipped Charlie Dean to MacDonald-Gay.
Filer and Villiers were particularly effective, finishing with three wickets apiece, while Tilly Corteen-Coleman took two for 34 from her eight overs as Ireland were bowled out with more than five overs remaining.
