England breezed to their highest successful ODI chase after an iffy fielding and bowling performance as an experimental side beat Ireland by six wickets in the series opener at Leicester. Maia Bouchier (104 off 95 balls) and Sopha Dunkley (73 off 61) smoked 143 for the opening wicket inside 20 overs before Bouchier went on to notch her second ODI century as England reached their target of 282 with 71 deliveries to spare. Freya Kemp (36 off 22) drilled four fours in a row off Arlene Kelly in the 34th over - a feat Bouchier had managed off Jane Maguire towards the start of the chase - as the all-rounder dominated a 54-run partnership from 38 balls with Alice Capsey (41no off 40), after Capsey and Bouchier had combined to add 50 off 47.
England's previous record ODI run chase was the 267-8 they knocked off against Australia in Bristol during the home Ashes in 2023, a game in which Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont posted the two highest scores. Ireland 281-5 after 50 overs (put in to bat): Gaby Lewis (69 off 89 balls), Amy Hunter (62 off 90), Rebecca Stokell (54no off 48); Charlie Dean (2-44), Issy Wong (2-57) England 283-4 in 38.1 overs (target 282): Maia Bouchier (104 off 95), Sophia Dunkley (73 off 61), Alice Capsey (41no off 40), Freya Kemp (36 off 22); Cara Murray (3-58), Arlene Kelly (1-38) Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player With Knight and Beaumont now retired and team stalwarts Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt Hodge and Amy Jones rested for this three-match assignment, Dunkley and Bouchier played the key roles, albeit aided by some error-strewn stuff from Ireland. The tourists offered up way too many boundary balls and were also guilty of mis-fields as they slipped 1-0 down in a series that continues in Derby on Thursday (1pm) and then concludes in Worcester on Sunday (10.30am), with both games live on Sky Sports.
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