Maia Bouchier struck her second ODI century to guide England to a six-wicket win over Ireland in the opening match of their three-game series at Grace Road, Leicester.
Chasing 282, the hosts completed the highest successful run chase in their ODI history with 71 balls to spare.
Bouchier and Dunkley Build a Rapid Platform
England sent out a reshaped top order for this contest, with five regular players missing from the squad and stand-in captain Charlie Dean handing fresh opportunities to several batters.
Sophia Dunkley moved up to open alongside Bouchier, while Jodi Grewcock walked out at No. 3 in just her third international appearance.
The new-look opening pair put Ireland’s bowlers under pressure from the first over. Bouchier struck four consecutive boundaries off Jane Maguire early in the innings, and England raced to 72 without loss after ten overs, well ahead of Ireland’s pace at the same stage.
Dunkley reached fifty off 40 balls, driving through the covers for the boundary that brought up her mark, before Bouchier followed with a half-century off 63 deliveries. The pair added 143 runs for the first wicket off just 118 balls before Dunkley fell to a sharp return catch off legspinner Cara Murray.
Bouchier carried on and reached three figures off 91 balls, striking her 11th four of the innings, before falling for 104 when she picked out Orla Prendergast at long-on off Arlene Kelly.
Ireland Post 281 Behind Twin Half-Centuries
Ireland had earlier set England a testing target after recovering from an early setback. Alice Tector fell for 11 in the fifth over, caught behind off Issy Wong, but captain Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter steadied the innings with a 136-run stand for the second wicket off 152 balls. Both batters brought up half-centuries within a few balls of each other, Hunter reaching hers first off 67 deliveries and Lewis following soon after with a pulled boundary off Lauren Filer.
Wong returned to break the stand in the 30th over, bowling Lewis for 69, while Dean’s off-spin accounted for Hunter on 62. Rebecca Stokell then provided the late push the innings needed, and overturned an LBW decision on review before finishing unbeaten on 54 off 48 balls. Dean removed Leah Paul with the next delivery to finish with 2 for 44, while Murray later claimed three wickets in the chase to finish as the pick of Ireland’s bowlers.
Capsey and Kemp Finish the Job
After Bouchier’s dismissal, Alice Capsey took over the innings alongside Freya Kemp, and the pair added 54 runs for the fourth wicket to push England toward the target. Kemp struck four boundaries in a single over off Arlene Kelly before holing out for a quick 36 off 22 balls. Capsey remained unbeaten on 41 and hit the winning boundary as England reached 283 for 4 in 38.1 overs.
Bouchier was named player of the match for her innings, which anchored England’s chase and confirmed her place in the side ahead of the remaining two matches of the series.
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