(Cricket news) In her 100th international appearance, Gaby Lewis hit a sparkling 92 as Ireland Women claimed victory in the final game of the three-match one-day international series against the Netherlands – claiming a 3-0 series clean sweep.
Lewis, who was presented her 100th match cap before the game by her mother Sharon, was in exceptional form as she struck 11 fours and a six in her 98-ball innings – however, in the shadow of a century she played back to a straight delivery and was trapped in front.
Earlier in the day, Netherlands captain Babette de Leede won the toss and elected to bat first. That decision looked debatable early on, as an exceptional opening spell of bowling from Orla Prendergast (2-4) and Rachel Delaney (1-17) had the hosts struggling on 8-3 after just six overs. Prendergast, bowling for the first time on this tour after coming back from injury, took back-to-back wickets of van Beuge (2) and Post (0) in the third over. Then Robine Rijke (1) was stumped by Waldron, after a peach of a delivery by Delaney which turned and beat the bat.
Both Prendergast and Delaney were getting plenty of early assistance from the pitch, and Delaney struck again in the tenth over with the help of a catch from Shauna Kavanagh as the Netherlands found themselves on 29-4 after the opening powerplay.
Despite being four wickets down, the Dutch side attempted to re-build, and captain Babette de Leede along with debutant Robyn van Oosterom combined for 42 runs for the fifth wicket. That partnership came to an end in the 19th over when a Laura Delany delivery stayed low and Oosterom was late getting down to it before it crashed into the stumps.
The Netherlands moved past 100 in the 29th over, with de Leede bringing up her fifty in the same over, off 80 balls. It was a very calm, mature innings from de Leede, who led from the front, and she was looking more and more comfortable as the innings went on. Cara Murray, however, made the next breakthrough with de Leede (76) chipping one straight to Gaby Lewis at short cover leaving the hosts on 146-6 after 36 overs. The partnership of 75 between de Leede and Frédérique Overdijke was the highest of the Netherlands innings.
Laura Delany (3-26) and Leah Paul (2-33) claimed the final four wickets, with Caroline de Lange (0), Eva Lynch (9), Silver Siegers (2) and Isabel van der Woning all departed as the Netherlands were bowled out for 184. Delany’s effort was her best bowling figures in ODI cricket. Ireland were quite disciplined early in the run chase, Lewis and Leah Paul taking their time to settle in. Netherlands opening bowlers Iris Zwilling and Isabel van der Woning bowled good lines early on and had limited Ireland to 28-0 after 9 overs.
Ireland ticked along at about four runs an over before Paul (27) fell to de Lange in the 19th over, chopping the ball onto her own stumps with Ireland on 73-1. Amy Hunter then joined Lewis in the middle, and they set about upping the run-rate. Lewis brought up her fifty off 45 balls in the 22nd over, and at that stage the pair were scoring at almost a run a ball as Ireland had moved to 109-1.
With Ireland cruising to victory and Lewis on 92, a slower ball from Frédérique Overdijke trapped her in front lbw and her innings was over. Her 107-run partnership with Hunter was pivotal to the win, though, and Hunter herself had time to score a half-century late on as Ireland eased to a comfortable eight-wicket victory, finishing the three-match series unbeaten.
MATCH SUMMARY
Netherlands Women v Ireland Women, 3rd One-Day International, Voorburg, 26 August 2022
Netherlands 185 (47.2 overs; B de Leede 76, F Overdijke 47: L Delany 3-26)
Ireland 188-2 (35.3 overs; G Lewis 92, A Hunter 53*; F Overdijke 1-24)
Ireland won by 8 wickets
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