Scotland Women completed a historic 40-run victory over Ireland, winning their first ODI played since gaining full ODI status last year.
Every member of Scotland’s squad was playing their first official ODI, but that mattered little as they delivered an outstanding performance to defeat their full-member neighbours.
Captain Kathryn Bryce was the star with the bat as she struck 78 out of her side’s 211, her ninth international 50 and highest score.
And that total was backed-up superbly in the field as Ireland were dismissed for 171, Hannah Rainey taking 3-30, whilst Abtaha Maqsood and Darcey Carter picked up two wickets apiece.
After being inserted by their ‘hosts’ in Desert Springs, Scotland lost Darcey Carter early on as Ava Canning struck to remove the opener for four.
That brought together Sarah Bryce and Kathryn Bryce who set about laying a platform for their side, rotating the strike well as they added 65 for the second wicket to advance the Scottish total.
Sarah Bryce would fall eight runs short of her half-century, finding Gaby Lewis at cover who took a sharp catch low down to hand Freya Sargent her first international wicket.
Sargent would strike again to remove Priyanaz Chatterji for just one, as Scotland slipped to 87-3.
Ailsa Lister and Lorna Jack would both make starts without kicking on, departing for 13 and 10 respectively, to leave the Saltires 140-5.
Kathryn Bryce would reach her maiden ODI 50, passing 1000 international runs in the process, from 78 balls with a cut through gully for four, playing a vital knock to glue her side’s innings together.
Bryce would add 45 for the sixth wicket alongside Ellen Watson, the pair playing Ireland’s spinners particularly well as they moved their side into a position to kick-on in the closing overs.
However, Watson fell to a superb yorker from Arlene Kelly for 16, which sparked a collapse of four wickets for just five runs to leave the Saltires 190-8.
Kathryn Bryce was the ninth batter dismissed, with the score on 202, falling to Laura Delany for an outstanding 78.
Olivia Bell added some lower-order resistance as she struck two boundaries in her unbeaten 15, but Scotland would be bowled out for 211 as Georgina Dempsey removed Hannah Rainey for 0.
Ireland openers Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis got their side’s reply off to a solid, even if unspectacular start, adding 38 in 12 overs as Scotland’s bowlers should excellent consistency to restrict the scoring rate.
Olivia Bell would find the breakthrough as she trapped the dangerous Lewis in front for 14, before Hannah Rainey removed Amy Hunter in similar fashion, leaving Ireland 53-2 in the 16th over.
Leah Paul and Orla Prendergast added 56 for the third wicket as they took Ireland past 100, and into a commanding position, with the latter, in particular, finding the boundary with regularity.
Enter Abtaha Maqsood, who struck twice in consecutive deliveries to swing the game back in Scotland’s favour.
First, she trapped Paul in front for 43 as the left-hander looked to sweep a full delivery, repeating the trick next ball to remove the Irish skipper, Laura Delany.
From that moment on, the chasing side struggled to establish a partnership of note as Scotland began to turn the screw in the field.
A mix-up in the middle saw sharp work from Hannah Rainey remove the dangerous Prendergast for 37, from just 43 deliveries, before Rainey then struck with the ball twice in as many overs.
First to fall was Rebecca Stokell whose lofted drive picked out Priyanaz Chatterji at mid-off, whilst Ava Canning fell to a sharp catch from Darcey Carter as Ireland were reduced to 134-7.
Carter then struck herself, removing Georgina Dempsey who was caught in the deep by Ailsa Lister moving quickly to her left.
Lister was involved again as Cara Murray was the ninth batter removed, delivering an excellent throw from the deep that allowed Carter to whip the bails off with Murray short of her ground.
Ireland were still 50 short of their target at that point, and would only be able to muster nine more before Carter struck the final blow, outfoxing Arlene Kelly who danced down the track and failed to connect, allowing Sarah Bryce to complete the stumping.
