Capsey and spinners inspire England to big win over Ireland
England too polished but Ireland impress | Digital Daily: Episode 6 | Women's T20WC 2023
Digital Daily with Ebony Rainford-Brent and Xoli Zondo looks at England's dominant performance against Ireland in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
The English spin trio took eight wickets between them, while young Alice Capsey starred with the bat, hammering the joint-fastest half-century at a Women’s T20I World Cup.
Sophia Dunkley (4) fell in the first over as England chased 106 to win, but the remainder of the team’s powerful top three tore into the Irish attack, amassing 69/1 after the Powerplay.
It was Capsey who did much of the damage, smashing 51 in 22 balls before falling at the start of the seventh over, with Wyatt contributing 16 from 13.
Wickets fell as the target approached, but despite Cara Murray taking 3/15, England got the job done, wrapping up the win with 34 balls and four wickets remaining.
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Match Highlights as England put up a dominating display against Ireland to go on top of Group 1 in the ICC Women T20 World Cup 2023
Earlier, it was Sarah Glenn (3/19), Sophie Ecclestone (3/13) and Charlie Dean (2/26) who did the damage with the ball as England hit back through the middle overs to leave their batters requiring 106 runs.
The haul by England’s spinners is the most ever taken by an English women’s spin attack at a T20 World Cup, and was a perfect response after Ireland’s strong start to their opening game at the tournament.
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It was Ireland who won the toss in Paarl, and the Irish openers took advantage of the Powerplay, putting on 42/1 in the first six overs.
Amy Hunter was the first wicket to fall, caught by Sophia Dunkley off Charlie Dean for 15 off 14 balls.
But the excellent Gaby Lewis was joined by the talented Orla Prendergast as Ireland looked to kick on and set England’s powerful batting line-up a challenging total.
However, England’s spin trio of Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn brought the run rate down, and it was Glenn who removed Prendergast for 17 (15), drawing her down the pitch and cleaning up the stumps.
With the score at 67/2 at the midway point of the innings, Ireland were in a position to accelerate to a big-enough total to really test the Group 2 leaders.
But Ecclestone made her mark in the 13th over, removing the set Lewis (36 from 37) and then trapping Eimear Richardson first ball, pegging Ireland back at a crucial moment.
And Ecclestone continued to hurt Ireland with a superb catch to dismiss Louise Little.
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The Irish's struggles through the middle overs continued as Glenn trapped Mark Waldron in front and bowled Leah Paul for a duck.
In total Ireland lost 5/15 in the space of 14 game-changing balls, and wickets for Lauren Bell and Katherine Sciver-Brunt completed the job, as Ireland were bowled out for 105 in 18.2 overs.
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Alice Capsey notched up the joint-fastest fifty in Women's T20 World Cup history as England registered took two points off Ireland.
The impact of Alice Capsey on international cricket has been extraordinary, and the 18-year-old is already excelling on the biggest stage in South Africa.
She has all the shots in the book and an attacking attitude to make the most of her skillset, and put Ireland to the sword in Paarl.
Capsey brought up her half-century off just 21 balls, equalling a Women’s T20I World Cup record. The two other players to have matched Capsey’s feat are Alyssa Healy and Sophie Devine – putting her in extremely fine company.
Only Devine (18 balls) and Pakistan’s Nida Dar (20 balls) have hit faster half-centuries in any full Women’s T20 International.
If England are to go all the way in this tournament then they will need their spinners to continue this sort of form.
The experienced Katherine Sciver-Brunt and her fast-bowling colleague Lauren Bell are a decent-enough combination, with Bell particularly finding plenty of swing early on so far.
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England's Sophie Ecclestone spun a web around Ireland at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
But England’s bowling strength is undoubtedly their spinners, with Ecclestone and Glenn first and fourth in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Bowling rankings respectively.
And the pair, aided by Dean, ripped through Ireland in a real show of strength at Boland Park.
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This is a talented Irish side, and they still have a chance of making a big impact on this tournament.
Losing to the highly-rated England is no disgrace, and there were signs – particularly from the top three – that Ireland will have a big part to play in the make-up of Group 2.
Pakistan are next up for Ireland in Cape Town, with West Indies to follow at the same venue in Friday, and Ireland will have a real chance to do something in both of those matches if they can pick themselves up from this disappointment.
Both would be upset wins based on the rankings, but Ireland should not be discounted in either of those fascinating fixtures.