Key events
A innings of two parts – bombast from Bouchier and the magnificent Dunkley, tepid water from most of the rest – Gibson and Grewcock excluded. And Capsey was very unlucky. It should still be more than enough to beat Ireland, though they will be boosted by their late resurgence in the field.
Jim will be your guide through Ireland’s chase, thanks for your company – bye!
WICKET! Filer c Hunter b Prenderegast 0 (England 291 all out)
48.5 overs: England 291 (Corteen-Coleman 1) The innings dribbles to a close, as Filer pokers the ball up and into the gloves of Hunter. England have lost six for 31.
WICKET! Gibson run-out 41 (England 290-9)
Out by a football pitch. Charged for a second run off a wide but nowhere near.
48th over: England 288-8 (Gibson 41, Filer 0) Gibson thanks Filer for the offer of a single but says she’s on this.
WICKET! MacDonald-Gay c Murray b Kelly 7 (England 288 -8)
Heaves to long on, a lovely gift for Kelly in her farewell appearance.
47th over: England 286-7 (Gibson 41, MacDonald-Gay 5) Prendergast starts with a wide and MacDonald-Gay gives Gibson the strike from the first legit ball of the day. But Gibson can’t do much with the first two balls – a huge lbw appeal that Ireland review, but not out. Grewcock pulls vigorously and loses her bat in the process, momentarily frozen by whether or not to run. And that’s lovely by Gibson to finish the over, four ramped with style.
46th over: England 277-7 (Gibson 36, MacDonald-Gay 3) Just one run off the first three balls, but then Gibson cuts a friendly offering from McBride away for four.
45th over: England 271-7 (Gibson 30, MacDonald-Gay 1) Villiers is nearly bowled, too early on a reverse-sweep first ball of Murray’s over, but must go three balls later. MacDonald-Gay slog-sweeps her second ball just out of Gaby Lewis’ reach.
WICKET! Villers c Little b Murray 3 (England 270-7)
England faltering here. Villiers dallies down the pitch and lofts a gentle temptation from Murray straight to deep midwicket
44th over: England 268-6 (Gibson 30, Villiers 2) England can’t reach the rope again as McCartney’s spell comes to an end with a tidy over. One for 53 from her ten overs.
WICKET! Dean c Hunter b Murray 4 (England 264-6)
After shonking a full toss for four first ball, Dean gets a nibble on a ball given lots of air, well taken by Hunter. A double wicket over from Murray.
43rd over: England 256-6 (Gibson 28)
WICKET! Kemp c Lewis b Murray 23 (England 260-5)
Kemp strides and sends Murray into the stratosphere. I thought it was going out of the ground but it drops on the thread of the rope, superbly caught by Gaby Lewis at full stretch behind her.. A rapid 23 from 21 balls.
42nd over: England 256-4 (Kemp 22, Gibson 25) A first six of the innings! Gibson clubs McCartney over long off like a caveman on an away day, but the rest of the over is more gently recieved.
41st over: England 248-4 (Kemp 21, Gibson 18) A missed chance by Ireland as England take a punt on the mid-off fielder. Kemp would have been trudging off if the fielder had hit.. Six singles off McBride.
40th over: England 242-4 (Kemp 18, Gibson 15) Ireland’s fielding has not been outstanding today, as another ball is fumbled at backward point. Gibson gets going with cross batted four which flies over the fielder and gallops over the rope. Ten overs to go.
39th over: England 236-4 (Kemp 17, Gibson 10) An interesting conversation on TMS, saying that some of these Ireland players should be playing Ireland’s men’s club cricket to get more cricket in. And that they are hamstrung by classed as overseas cricketers in English county cricket. OH and that’s s lovely shot by Freya Kemp, standing tall, crouching low, whips four through covers off Little.
38th over: England 228-4 (Kemp 11, Gibson 8) McBride keeps England quiet.
37th over: England 224-4 (Kemp 10, Gibson 5) Murray’s over finishes with a glorious full-stop four through extra cover from Kemp that a diving Gaby Lewis can’t stop.
36th over: England 217-4 (Kemp 5, Gibson 3) A brilliant innings by Dunkley that, wonderfully entertaining, foot-down confident and strong. But Ireland now have to cope with Kemp and Gibson.
WICKET! Dunkley c Prendergast b McBride 119 (England 214-4)
Caught at deep-midwicket, going for her first six of the innings. A beautiful shot, but one that picks out Ireland’s tallest fielder who balances herself serenely on the rope.
35th over: England 210-3 (Dunkley 115, Kemp 5) Overnight rain has added some extra green to the New Road outfield. A reverse-sweep by Dunkley off Murray brings three, and a slip on the boundary brings Kemp her first four, a majesterial cut.
34th over: England 202-3 (Dunkley 112, Kemp 0 ) Rotten luck for Capsey that. She had turned McCartney into the legside to bring up the England 200 and to, fatefully, reach the non striker’s end. McCartney in big sunglasses and long , long pony tail, stops at the top of her mark, bowls and puts out a desperate – and wicket-taking – hand.
WICKET! Capsey run out (McCartney) 10 (England 200-3)
Oh dear, that’s a stinker. Dunkley straight drives, bowler McCartney gets the tip of a thumb on the ball before it rockets into the stumps. Pooor Capsey is out of her crease and must trudge away.
33rd over: England 197-2 (Dunkley 110, Capsey 7) Murray starts with a wide and England seem content to keep scoring in singles – three and a half overs since the last boundary.
32nd over: England 189-2 (Dunkley 106, Capsey 4) Five easy singles.
31st over: England 184-2 (Dunkley 104, Capsey 1) Pleasingly, Dunkley’s hundred came off exactly 100 balls. Ah, that’s a shame for Grewcock she’d started to look more relaxed. Enter Capsey, settling into position as England’s keeper.
WICKET! Grewcock c and b Murray 35 (England (183-2)
Grewcock shuffles into position and tips the ball straight back to Murray who takes the catch down by her ankles.
30th over: England 181-1 (Dunkley 103, Grewcock 34) A checked drive by Grewcock, for four, very nice. I’m enjoying the way she holds the pose after a shot.
A hundred for Sophia Dunkley!
29th over: England 173-1 (Dunkley 100, Grewcock 29) Grewcock dinks a single to bring Dunkley to face. She adjusts her helmet strap, stands tall and ducks, just, a not-very-short ball from Little at 60mph. She pulls four to reach 99 then a single brings the 100 – a second international century! She punches her glove, pulls off her helmet and raises her bat, she looks quite emotional actually. A gorgeous, dominant innings from a slow start.
28th over: England 167-1 (Dunkley 96, Grewcock 28) A slower ball from Kelly is dispatched through long over by Dunkley who rocks into the 90s. And rocks closer still to 100 with a lovely hoe legside, albeit off a pretty ropey ball.
27th over: England 156-1 (Dunkley 86, Grewcock 26) A quiet over, just three singles off Little.
26th over: England 153-1 (Dunkley 85, Grewcock 24) Kelly returns. The fielder at mid-off nearly gets a mouthful of sawdust scrabbling for the ball. Three singles then a crouched cut for four by Dunkley, her eleventh. So dominant.
25th over: England 146-1 (Dunkley 80, Grewcock 22) Little tries the short ball against Dunkley. Dunkley shies away. A nice crowd in now in the New Road stands as we reach the half way stage with England sailing away.
24th over: England 141-1 (Dunkley 77, Grewcock 20) It was worth waiting for – a gorgeous on-drive, classical, gives Grewcock her first boundary off her 26th ball. A less classical backfoot swipe past cover brings Dunkley another four.
23rd over: England 130-1 (Dunkley 72, Grewcock 14) Grewcock still yet to reach the rope. Just three singles and wide off Little’s over.