Stefanie Taylor rolled back the years with a magnificent century as West Indies Women produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Ireland Women by 64 runs in the third ODI. After being asked to bat, the visitors had to rebuild following an early setback before Taylor anchored the innings with a composed hundred that laid the foundation for a competitive total.
Valuable partnerships through the middle and lower order ensured West Indies kept the scoreboard moving despite regular wickets, while Ireland’s bowlers enjoyed moments of success without being able to completely halt the scoring. Chasing 258 for victory, Ireland showed glimpses of resistance through captain Gaby Lewis and several middle-order contributions, but West Indies’ disciplined bowling attack kept striking at regular intervals to comfortably defend the target.
The innings began on a disappointing note for West Indies as captain Hayley Matthews departed for just 6 off 9 balls, caught by Amy Hunter off Orla Prendergast, leaving the visitors at 7/1 in only 2.5 overs. Ireland immediately sensed an opportunity as Realeanna Grimmond struggled to accelerate during her patient 14 from 42 deliveries, but her 40-run partnership with Stefanie Taylor helped settle the innings.
Grimmond eventually became Jane Maguire’s first victim at 41/2 in the 10.5th over, bringing the experienced Taylor into the role of chief architect. Shemaine Campbelle looked promising but was run out for 4, while Jannillea Glasgow suffered the same fate after scoring just 1, reducing West Indies to 47/3. Ireland had clawed their way back into the contest through sharp fielding and disciplined bowling, with the runouts providing crucial breakthroughs alongside the wickets claimed by Prendergast and Maguire.
With the innings delicately poised, Stefanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin stitched together the first significant recovery. Their 34-run fifth-wicket partnership steadied the innings before Dottin was stumped by Amy Hunter off Georgina Dempsey for 21 from 26 balls, an innings featuring four boundaries. At 82/5, West Indies still had plenty of work to do, but Taylor found an able partner in Jahzara Claxton. The pair added a crucial 73 runs for the sixth wicket, with Claxton contributing a patient 30 off 43 balls before falling to Jane Maguire. Taylor continued to hold one end firmly, rotating the strike expertly while punishing loose deliveries.
She then added another 50 runs alongside Aaliyah Alleyne, who played an aggressive cameo of 33 from just 30 balls, including six boundaries, before Georgina Dempsey removed her. Despite Afy Fletcher falling for a duck, Taylor remained unfazed and brought up a superb century, eventually scoring 105 from 113 deliveries, striking 10 fours at a strike rate of 92.92. Her dismissal in the final over, with the score at 257, ended a remarkable knock that had transformed the innings. Contributions from Ashmini Munisar (7) and Karishma Ramharack (5), along with 31 extras, helped West Indies finish on 257/10 in 50 overs.
Ireland’s bowling effort was led by Orla Prendergast, who produced an economical spell of 2/37 from 10 overs, removing Matthews early and conceding just 3.70 runs per over. Jane Maguire also impressed with 2/44 in her 10 overs, while Georgina Dempsey claimed 2/61, including the important wickets of Dottin and Alleyne.
Aimee Maguire chipped in with 1/50, dismissing Grimmond, while Kia McCartney and Louise Little bowled tidy supporting spells without taking wickets. Ireland also benefited from two sharp runouts, which briefly tilted the momentum in their favour. Ireland’s chase never truly gathered sustained momentum after Sarah Forbes was trapped lbw by Jannillea Glasgow for 2, leaving the hosts at 10/1.
Captain Gaby Lewis responded positively with an enterprising 50 from 59 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes, while sharing a 71-run second-wicket partnership with wicketkeeper Amy Hunter, who made a fluent 30 off 36 balls. Just as Ireland looked to build, Hayley Matthews produced the breakthrough by dismissing Lewis immediately after her half-century. Matthews then struck again to remove Prendergast for 8, reducing Ireland to 95/4. Rebecca Stokell (14) and Leah Paul attempted another rebuilding effort with a 34-run partnership, but Stokell was run out before Paul continued to battle.
Paul top-scored after Lewis with a determined 32 from 47 balls, yet she too departed at 158/6, caught by Campbelle off Afy Fletcher. The lower order was unable to provide the sustained acceleration Ireland desperately required. Louise Little fought hard for 23 from 39 deliveries, adding 17 runs with Georgina Dempsey before Matthews struck once again. Dempsey managed only 1, while Jane Maguire (6) became Karishma Ramharack’s second victim. Aimee Maguire briefly entertained with a brisk 13 from 9 balls, including two boundaries, but Ramharack wrapped up the innings by claiming her third wicket. Kia McCartney remained unbeaten on 1 as Ireland were bowled out for 193 in 43.1 overs, falling 64 runs short of the target.
West Indies’ bowlers complemented their batting effort with disciplined spells throughout the chase. Captain Hayley Matthews starred with the ball as well, returning figures of 2/37 from 10 overs, removing both Lewis and Prendergast at crucial stages. Karishma Ramharack finished as the leading wicket-taker with 3/33 in 6.1 overs, cleaning up the lower order, while Afy Fletcher delivered an outstanding spell of 3/33 from 10 overs, accounting for Hunter, Leah Paul and Louise Little. Jannillea Glasgow made the perfect start with 1/21, and Deandra Dottin maintained pressure through a miserly 10-over spell costing only 19 runs.
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