WI-W vs IRE-W, 1st ODI Review: West Indies clinch victory in series opener against Ireland

A gutsy display by Ireland Women in the first one-day international (ODI) against West Indies may ultimately have ended in defeat, but not before the Girls in Green showed their hosts that they were up for the contest on this six-match tour.

Cara Murray (3-60) provided impetus to an Irish fightback with the ball, while a magnificent 83 to opener Gaby Lewis – supported by skipper Laura Delany (40) and Orla Prendergast (37) - had Ireland Women keeping the required run rate manageable at the halfway stage of the run chase.

After losing the toss and being asked to bowl first, Ava Canning – on ODI debut – looked dangerous early with her renowned swing,

However, it was Sophie MacMahon who made the first breakthrough with an inswinger that bamboozled Zaida James (13) and trapped the left-hander in front.

At 36-1 in the 10th over, the Irish sensed early nervousness in their opponents – but that hope was soon crushed by a dominant 156-run second-wicket partnership between West Indies captain Hayley Matthews (109) and Stefanie Taylor (55). The runs came from just 153 balls as the two experienced batters hit to all parts of the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

Murray’s first wicket led to a mini top-order collapse, the West Indies losing 3-6 in 15 balls, but a counter-attacking 53* from 37 balls by Chinelle Henry saw the Caribbean side post 297-6 from their 50 overs.

In the reply, Lewis and Leah Paul (10) combined for a 34-run opening stand until a mix-up saw Paul caught well short of her ground. Lewis was joined by Prendergast and the pair first consolidated, and then began to build a platform for Ireland to launch their charge in the last 25 overs. Prendergast was looking to increase the run rate, but holed out at deep mid-wicket – the second-wicket partnership of 67 was important, yet the next stand of 71 between Lewis and Delany put Ireland on a credible path towards an unlikely victory.

The third-wicket stand took 83 balls, but became increasingly dangerous to the home side due mainly to the ease by which the Irish pair compiled their runs. Lewis, eyeing up her first ODI century, was caught sweeping which precipitated a middle-order collapse of 5-30.

A busy 20 to Mary Waldron and a late 13 to Sophie MacMahon pushed the Irish total to 239 – but in a moral victory for the visitors, the final pair of Murray and Canning held out for 19 balls to ensure Ireland batted out their 50 overs.

The two sides meet again on Wednesday at the same venue for the second of three ODIs.