2nd T20I: Scotland 126-8 (S Horley 44; C Murray 2-20), Ireland 44-1 (5 ovs) (O Prendergast 17no, A Hunter 16no). Ireland won by 16 runs (D/L) and win the series 2-0
Ireland capitalised on four Scottish run-outs and a fast start with the bat to stay ahead of the game and secure a series-clinching 16-run win over Scotland via the Duckworth-Lewis method. With one game left in the three-match T20 series, Ireland now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead over a side they will meet again later this month in the World Cup qualifiers.
Akin to Monday’s game, Saskia Horley played a lone hand for Scotland as disastrous running plus Ireland’s ability to chip away with the ball prevented anyone building a partnership with the hosts’ number four, her effort of 44 off 33 balls the only individual score above 20.
The farcical running started when Sarah Bryce took an ill-advised single after hitting the ball just to the right of Eimear Richardson on her bowling follow through. Bryce’s look to the skies in anguish half-way down the wicket told you what she thought of her decision as her opening partner Ailsa Lister was run out at the striker’s end by Richardson’s sharp through.
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Abbi Aitken-Drummond and Lorna Jack were also run out, the latter by a sharp Amy Hunter throw, though the single was again ill-judged, while the former’s was the worst of the lot as she fell foul of a mix-up that nearly saw both batters at the same end.
Horley hit five boundaries in her knock that helped avoid a drastically low total but when she picked out Hunter at long-on off Arlene Kelly in the 18th over, Scotland’s chances of a competitive score went with her. Prior to that in the middle overs, Cara Murray was rewarded for tossing the ball up as Bryce chipped one up before Priyanaz Chatterrji fell over trying to play a spinning delivery and was stumped.
In reply, Ireland found early boundaries to stem any hopes of a Scottish fightback, despite the loss of Gaby Lewis in the third over. After her match-winning 50 on Monday, Prendergast hit four boundaries in just eight balls as she and Hunter combined to take Ireland to 44 for one at the five-over mark. The DLS par at that stage was 28, meaning Ireland were comfortably in front of the game when the rain prevented any further play.
