Scotland won its first T20 World Cup, defeating Ireland by 40 runs in Manchester thanks to a century stand between Sarah and Kathryn Bryce and an outstanding bowling display.
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| Scotland's best scorer, Kathryn Bryce, scored 60 off 39 balls |
After being sent in, the Bryce sisters boosted Scotland to 161 for 5, and Ireland collapsed to 121 all out as spinners Katherine Fraser and Kirstie Gordon combined to take six wickets. After 18 T20 World Cup games, Ireland has yet to win.
A rough beginning
Ireland chose to bowl on a cloudy, windy day in Manchester and started with left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire. Scotland got off to a shaky start as Maguire found turn and drift, repeatedly defeating Fraser and Darcey Carter before Carter relieved some pressure with a lofted boundary over long on. Then, while the openers struggled to establish fluidity and picked up ones and twos, Arlene Kelly and Ava Canning kept things tight, extracting a little movement.
Run-scoring was challenging due to the slow outfield and slow surface, and soon Canning delivered the opening blow, luring Fraser into a poorly executed smash to deep midwicket, where Alice Tector made an outstanding catch. Then Maguire made another breakthrough, tricking Carter when she was in midair and hitting the middle stump with a full delivery under her bat. Scotland finished the powerplay on 37 for 2 after scoring just nine runs in the last two overs.
Run-scoring was challenging due to the slow outfield and slow surface, and soon Canning delivered the opening blow, luring Fraser into a poorly executed smash to deep midwicket, where Alice Tector made an outstanding catch. Then Maguire made another breakthrough, tricking Carter when she was in midair and hitting the middle stump with a full delivery under her bat. Scotland finished the powerplay on 37 for 2 after scoring just nine runs in the last two overs.
The Bryce sisters make things better
The innings was then rebuilt by Sarah and Katherine Bryce, who alternated the strike. The strong wind continued to test the fielders' discretion even as the conditions made timing difficult for batters. When Kathryn backed away from a short ball from Orla Prendergast and hit it towards sweeper cover, a fielder positioned deep inside the rope misjudged the flight and let the ball go over her head and over the boundary, resulting in the first four of their stand.
Then, in a 20-run 11th over, Sarah struck legspinner Cara Murray for two fours and a massive six over wide long-on. In the Women's T20 World Cup, the six achieved Scotland's first fifty partnership. In the following over, Kathryn joined in on the boundary-hitting, taking Maguire for two fours. After that, the two began to consistently locate the gaps, and Kathryn reached her 12th T20I half-century with a boundary off 32 balls. However, Sarah edged to the keeper when attempting a cut, missing the milestone by one run. The 106-run partnership had stabilised Scotland's innings and maintained their dominant position.
However, Ireland rallied in the final four overs, giving up just 19 runs. Canning struck twice in the 19th over, dismissing Kathryn for 60 off 39 balls.
Ireland's early problems
Alana Dalzell showed early fluency in the 162 chase, effortlessly driving the third ball from Kathryn's opening over through mid-on for four. But at the end of the opening over, Kathryn struck back right away, taking a crisp return catch off a powerfully delivered straight drive from Dalzell.
Before Amy Hunter hit Gabriella Fontenla for a barrage of boundaries in the fourth over, Ireland gradually recovered. However, after planning a charge down the pitch, captain Gaby Lewis struggled to put the ball away and was ultimately stumped out for a 19-ball 11 off Fraser. With the asking rate at 10.40 at the conclusion of 10 overs, Hunter was Ireland's bright spot, hitting a couple more boundaries to lead them to 58 for 2.
Her resistance was short-lived, though, as Fraser came back to bowl her for 39 in the 12th over.
There are more issues after
Gordon then bowled a decisive spell that left Ireland with too much to do, taking three wickets in the 13th over to reduce them to 70 for 6. Gordon became the first woman to represent two countries (the other being England) at the T20 World Cup.
To beat Rebecca Stokell and crash into her off stump, she first received a back-of-a-length delivery that straightened just enough. Next was Leah Paul, who came out to try to work the ball on the rise but was only able to make a straightforward return catch. Tector was subsequently undone by a delivery that kept its line, leaving Gordon on a hat-trick as Scotland took total control, further deepening Ireland's collapse.
Even with Prendergast at the crease, Ireland's chances would have been minimal. At the conclusion of 15 overs, the necessary rate shot up to over 15, so even if she kept fighting by hitting boundaries at regular intervals, it was never going to be enough. Prendergast smashed a six and then a four in the seventeenth over. However, a late call for a single proved costly when Prendergast was run out despite a frantic dive, ultimately ending Ireland's chances. This led to chaos on the next ball.
Scotland celebrated their historic triumph after Fraser hit twice in the 18th over and Maguire delivered the finishing blow off the first ball of the 20th.
Gordon then bowled a decisive spell that left Ireland with too much to do, taking three wickets in the 13th over to reduce them to 70 for 6. Gordon became the first woman to represent two countries (the other being England) at the T20 World Cup.
To beat Rebecca Stokell and crash into her off stump, she first received a back-of-a-length delivery that straightened just enough. Next was Leah Paul, who came out to try to work the ball on the rise but was only able to make a straightforward return catch. Tector was subsequently undone by a delivery that kept its line, leaving Gordon on a hat-trick as Scotland took total control, further deepening Ireland's collapse.
Even with Prendergast at the crease, Ireland's chances would have been minimal. At the conclusion of 15 overs, the necessary rate shot up to over 15, so even if she kept fighting by hitting boundaries at regular intervals, it was never going to be enough. Prendergast smashed a six and then a four in the seventeenth over. However, a late call for a single proved costly when Prendergast was run out despite a frantic dive, ultimately ending Ireland's chances. This led to chaos on the next ball.
Scotland celebrated their historic triumph after Fraser hit twice in the 18th over and Maguire delivered the finishing blow off the first ball of the 20th.
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