Ireland go 2-0 up despite Harshitha Samarawickrama century

Ireland Women 255 for 5 (Paul 81, Hunter 66, Stokell 53*, Dilhari 2-35, Kulasuriya 2-48) beat Sri Lanka Women 240 (Samarawickrama 105, Dilhari 53, Kelly 3-41, Maguire 2-33) by 15 runs

Half-centuries from Amy Hunter, Leah Paul and Rebecca Stokell laid the foundations and Arlene Kelly applied the finishing touches with a three-wicket haul as Ireland took an unassailable 2-0 lead over Sri Lanka with a 15-run win in the second ODI in Belfast.

As in Friday’s first ODI, however, Sri Lanka made the hosts earn their win. An impressive all-round display from Kavisha Dilhari and a maiden ODI century from the in-form Harshitha Samarawickrama put Sri Lanka in a position of some control, in fact, in their chase of 256. A 126-run stand between these two left them needing 84 in 98 balls, with eight wickets in hand, but Ireland hit back thereafter, with Kelly, Jane Maguire and run-outs combining to derail the visitors’ chase.

With her 124-ball 105, Samarawickrama became the third member of Sri Lanka’s ODI centurions club, one match after Vishmi Gunaratne had ended Chamari Athapaththu’s long spell as its sole representative.

Having pulled off their record ODI chase to win the first ODI, Ireland put up another impressive batting display after being sent in. Achini Kulasuriya removed both their openers in her new-ball spell, and when Dilhari took out Orla Prendergast, their centurion from Friday, they were 77 for 3. Hunter and Paul got them moving with a 57-run fourth-wicket stand, before Athapaththu struck to send Hunter back for a 71-ball 66.

Then came the partnership that set Ireland up for their victory push, with Paul and Stokell adding 114 off 112 balls for the fifth wicket. Paul was out in the final over for 81 off 101 balls, while Stokell finished unbeaten on 53 off 61.