In a poignant moment at Buffalo Park in East London on December 13, 2025, Ireland’s seasoned batting all-rounder Laura Delany etched her name deeper into women’s cricket history by donning the green jersey for her 200th international appearance. The 32-year-old marked the occasion in the opening ODI of a three-match series against a formidable South Africa, led by skipper Laura Wolvaardt.
Delany contributed a brisk 21 off 18 balls, featuring two boundaries and a maximum, before capping her all-round display with tidy figures of 5-0-18-0. Despite her efforts, Ireland fell short, losing by seven wickets to trail 1-0 in the series, which follows South Africa’s 2-0 sweep of the preceding T20I leg from December 5 to 19.
Delany’s journey to this landmark began humbly on July 4, 2010, with her ODI debut against New Zealand at Kibworth. Over 73 ODIs, she has amassed 1,410 runs across 67 innings at an average of 23.89 and a strike rate of 63.45, boasting five half-centuries and a memorable century.
Her pinnacle arrived on August 24, 2022, against the Netherlands in Amstelveen during the second ODI, where she blazed 109 off 102 balls with nine boundaries. That knock propelled Ireland to 337/8 in 50 overs, securing a resounding 210-run victory.
Complementing her batting prowess, Delany has snared 31 wickets at an average of 45,09 and an economy of 4.72 in 49 innings across 73 matches in the format so far.
Transitioning seamlessly to the shorter format, Delany burst onto the T20I scene on October 14, 2010, against Sri Lanka at Potchefstroom. In 127 T20Is, she has tallied 1,611 runs in 102 innings at an average of 22.06 and a strike rate of 88.90, including four half-centuries.
Her standout T20I batting effort came on August 27, 2025, against Italy in Rotterdam during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Division One Qualifier. Smashing 91 off 57 balls with 13 boundaries, she powered Ireland to 175/6 in 20 overs for a 33-run win, earning Player of the Match honours.
With the ball, Delany remains a menace, claiming 95 wickets in 107 innings at an average of 19 and an economy of 6.22, highlighted by two four-wicket hauls. Her finest bowling spell unfolded on August 20, 2025, against Germany, 4-9 in 2.2 overs in the first innings, sealing a 10-wicket triumph and another Player of the Match award.
Delany’s dual-threat legacy, now spanning 200 caps, underscores her enduring impact on Irish cricket amid challenging tours like this one in South Africa under skipper Gaby Lewis.
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