The Netherlands T20I series is won thanks to captain Laura Delany’s all-around superb performance.

Netherlands — AMSTELVEEN As Ireland grabbed an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against the Netherlands on the day that skipper Laura Delany became the most capped Ireland Women’s player, she put up a performance worthy of Player of the Match honors Laura Delany

With more than four overs remaining, Ireland sailed to a 66-run victory thanks in large part to Delany, who amassed career-best figures of 3-5 and 20 runs off the bat. Opening batsmen Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter made a strong start after being given the ball. Lewis (19) was struck by Robine Rijke’s second ball, which was slanted into the right-hander and clipped her off-stump, in the fifth over, and she was out.

At three, Orla Prendergast entered the game and continued to play aggressively, scoring a pair of well-timed boundaries in her first over. Hunter’s sweep shots resulted in back-to-back boundaries in the ninth over, and she added another with the last ball of the over to get to 31.

Prior to Prendergast flicking one straight to Carlijn van Koolaijk at mid-wicket off Phebe Molkenboer’s bowling and Ireland being 78-2, wicketkeeper batsman Hunter and Prendergast put together a strong 51-run second-wicket partnership. A short ball from Dekeling was skied to Babette de Leede, and Hunter eventually fell on hole number 36.

After that, Laura Delany and Rebecca Stokell both scored 31 runs before departing in a span of only six balls.

Ireland’s innings is over at 148-6 thanks to a late appearance from Louise Little (17 runs in six balls). Iris Zwilling and Hannah Siegers of the Netherlands’ opening pair didn’t back down in their reaction to Ireland’s bowling attack led by Prendergast and Ava Canning.

As a result of Canning and Dempsey’s strikes in a span of five balls, both openers were out by the fifth over. With the Netherlands 46-3 in the sixth over, the series’ Player of the Match, Arlene Kelly, persuaded Robine Rijke to sweep one to Prendergast in the deep for the third wicket.

After appearing hopeful at first, the Netherlands was compelled to make an attempt at reconstruction through Frederique Overdijke and Babette de Leede. However, those attempts were short-lived as Kelly struck again to remove Overdijke, with the assistance of fast hands from Hunter behind the stumps. With the Netherlands at 49-5 after eight overs, Molkenboer was removed by Kelly’s pure pace.

With Delany getting three quick wickets, the Netherlands’ batting disintegrated after that, with only van Koolwijke scoring in double digits. Once Ireland had secured a series victory, Freya Sargent pleased her teammates by collecting her first international wicket and the game’s last one by clean bowled de Leede. The teams will rematch on August 17 at the same location for the series’ final game, which will begin at 1 o’clock Ireland time.

SUMMARY OF MATCH

The second T20 International between the Netherlands and Ireland will take place at the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on August 16, 2023.

Ireland 148-6 (20 overs; A. Hunter 36, O. Prendergast 25, R. Rijke 3-37)

United Kingdom 82 15.5 overs, B de Leede 21, H Siegers 18, and L Delany 3-5)

Ireland prevailed by 66 runs.