Time to call it a day here, bed calls. A hardworking win for England. who now have two victories from two – their next game is against Scotland at Headingley on Saturday, while Ireland go on to face New Zealand, at Southampton on Friday. Thanks for your company – good night!
Gabby Lewis s ays their total was under par, but overall she’s proud of the girls. She says we need to work on the batting, but their energy in the field was epic. Some of the girls might not even have played under lights before.
NSB: she says its good to get over the line. She felt some tightness in her calf and didn’t want to push it. Says we can’t take any game lightly.
Charlie Dean seems to be doing the post-match chat, while NSB gets checked out.
“I think Nat just had a bit of tightness, and it was precautionary. I guess I’m on standby but hopefully I won’t be needed.
“I love bowling with Linsey and Eccles and with Tilly in the wings waiting for her opportunity. I love watching Eccles bowl with that over spinner and then that arm ball comes back. We’re all so different it makes it fun being out there.”
Never the most chatty! “It’s exciting and I can’t wait to keep it going.”
Another win under England’s belt – calm and collected, but not at a canter.
Good news for England fans, Nat Sciver-Brunt is walking onto the field and shaking hands. It can’t be that serious. Hopefully.
17.3 overs England 119-6 (Gibson 4, Dean 4) And it finishes with a wide!
A statement from the ECB “Nat Sciver-Brunt felt tightness in her calf and retired hurt as a precaution. She is currently being assessed by England medics.”
17th over: England 115-6 (Gibson 1, Dean 4) After a wicket. four dot balls, Gibson advances and squeezes four through the off side. England are nearly there – just four needed
By the length of a school sock. Gibson hits to cover but it was always going to be tricky.
16th over: England 111-5 (Kemp 2. Gibson 1) Quite a few of the crowd have gone home now, as the clock ticks towards 10.30. And four at last hauled legside between two converging fielders by NSB – who is now walking off the field, past the dugout. off the pitch. We hope, really hope that this isn’t an injury.
15th over: England 104-4 (Sciver-Brunt 43. Kemp 1) Now a cheesed off Sciver-Brunt refers a ball that she thinks should have been a no-ball for height. I’ve never seen that happen before. It was loopy for sure, and high, but the third umpire calls it fair as it was dipping. Ireland hanging on in here, not giving away boundaries and making England run for their money.
14th over: England 99-4 (Sciver-Brunt 39, Kemp 0) Kemp sends Prendergast through backward point for four first ball,. the umpire calls dead ball. Not sue why
On the England bench, Freya Kemp sits patiently with her helmet on, but these two are in the zone. Actually cancel that - an energetic lbw appeal against Knight by Prendergast – turned down on the field. Ireland refer it – why not? The Irish women can hardly contain themselves as they wait for the decision –. it is well and truly out, would have cannoned into leg.
13th over: England 95-3 (Sciver-Brunt 36. Knight 25) More energetic singles, a two, then Knight swat-sweeps a low full toss for four. Pow! Maguire keeps plugging away.
12th over: England 86-3 (Sciver-Brunt 33, Knight 19) On the radio Ed Joyce calls for 18 year old Alic Tector,. Tector it is. She starts with a wide and then NSB and Knight tick her this way and that. On the balcony, Charlotte Edwards watches and smiles. England need 33 to win.
11th over: England 77-3 (Sciver-Brunt 30, Knight 15) It’s dark now at Southampton, the scoreboard glowing out of the blackness. NSB. Knight are able to keep things ticking along without taking any risks – from directing their shots and running fast. And, as the commentators just said, excellent ground fielding by Ireland too.
10th over: England 70-3 (Sciver-Brunt 28, Knight 11) Dalzell returns. NSB fails to make contact with a ramp, then drives – a singing shot that deserves more than two. But no problem, Knight provides the boundary - sweeping through backward square. The runs are starting to flow.
9th over: England 62-3 (Sciver-Brunt 24, Knight 6) NSB and Knight are getting the party started. NSB flays Murray over mid-on for four. More intelligent running.
8th over: England 54-3 (Sciver-Brunt 19, Knight 3) Take that! NSBeyes up Dalzell’s first ball and ruthlessly hauls her for four. An enthusiastic roar from the crowd for England’s fifty and NSB and Knight are racing between the wickets here.
7th over: England 44-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11,Knight 1 ) Time for some legspin. Murray, green scrunchie to match her shirt. Her first ball bounces obligingly and NSB fires her to the long-on boundary. An energetic bit of fielding on the boundary by Tector prevents a boundary, though England sprint through for three.
6th over: England 35-3 (Sciver-Brunt 1,Knight 0 ) Capsey powers four through deep midwicket, a little power pack. But is sent on her way next ball, a zinging yorker. This is suddenly interesting. In the stands, the Irish fans perk up.
Three down in the power play! Capsey done neck and crop.
5th over: England 30-2 (Sciver-Brunt 1. Capsey 1) A double wicket over from Maguire subtly changes the complexion of the chase.
Wyatt-Hodge fancies going over the top but Lewis, once again is waiting. She clenches her fist in celebration.
A catch of concentration, over her shoulder as Jones tries to chip over cover but can’t get the length.
4th over: England 27-0 (Jones 9, Wyatt-Hodge 16) Jones could have been on her way,. Hunter cant hold on as she dives. Typically, Jones then cover drives Prendergast gloriously for four.
3rd over: England 20-0 (Jones 4. Wyatt-Hodge 15) There’s a big group of young women in the stands – looks like a cricket team, which is lovely to see. Wyatt Hodge decides it is time to throw the bat at Kelly. sends the ball skywards, it looks like it might fall towards the running fielder, but bounces past and into the rope. The next ball is thrashed through the covers for four more. Someone has pressed play on Wyatt-Hodge.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Jones 1, Wyatt-Hodge 6) Prendergast, who was furious with herself for getting out, sprints in, athletic. Three dots, a wide, a cracker that passes the outside edge. Just two from an excellent over.
1st over: England 6-0 (Jones 1, Wyatt-Hodge 5) Left-armer Maguire, hunched shoulders, dark hair in a long plait, busy action. Jones picks a single off the first ball, then three dot balls. Wyatt-Hodge advances on a full toss. it could have been a catch but the ball skids past her a mid-on and runs on to the rope.
20th over: Ireland 101-9 (Little 26, Maguire 1) With nothing to loose, Little enjoys this final over from Lauren Bell – four fours including a screamer through mid off. a top edge which bursts through Jones (still standing up) She dances down the pitch and swings legside for one final boundary. Seventeen from the over to give Ireland a sniff of a chance.
19th over: Ireland 101-9 (Little 10, Maguire 0) A double wicket maiden for Ecclestone, who grins happily. Four overs, three for 22 – a good night’s work.
Murray rolls her wrists, lofts the ball high, but not long,. Capsey running round from mid on takes the catch.
Throws herself at Ecclestone’s first ball, back leg almost bucking behind her, and is caught at backward point.
18th over: Ireland 98-7 (Little 9, Kelly 7) Smith’s final over, little. round-arm, she’s so quick too between balls, doesn’t give the players a chance to think. Five singles from it.
17th over: Ireland 93-7 (Little 7, Kelly 4) Just four singles off Ecclestone’s over.
16th over: Ireland 89-7 (Little 5. Kelly 2) Little picks up four from a thick edge off Bell, then Kelly lives dangerously, hitting over the top of mid-on. And a missed chance by Jones behind the gloves, well I say a missed chance. it deflected onto her thigh
Paul advances down, plays across the line, and potato hits pad. She marches off in a resigned shuffle.
15th over: Ireland 82-7 (Little 0, Kelly 0) Paul reverse-scoops Dean for four, dinky shot, then England fluff a run out,. they get their woman with the last ball of Dean’s super spell.
After getting inventive earlier in the over, a standard chip to mid 0n
14th over: Ireland 78-6 (Paul 6) Danni Gibson, gold hoops in her ears, determined expression on her face. In the crowd a group of middle-aged women are wearing St George’s Cross Deely Boppers – I remember them the first time around. Gibson throws down a bouncer but it misses batter and keeper and flies away for four byes. Oooh, then Tector gets a flighty inside edge just past her stumps for four more. But that’s her lot.
13th over: Ireland 68-5 (Paul 5. Tector 5) When you’re short of runs, the woman you don’t want to see is Linsey Smith. But here she is. And actually Ireland weave five from it.
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