Sport

Ireland beat Zimbabwe to set-up T20 World Cup showdown with Scotland

A fine spell from Isobel Joyce sets up a third successive qualifying win in Bangkok

Isobel Joyce’s 4-20 set-up Ireland’s seven-wicket win over Scotland in Zimbabwe. Photograph: Inpho
Isobel Joyce’s 4-20 set-up Ireland’s seven-wicket win over Scotland in Zimbabwe. Photograph: Inpho
Tue Dec 01 2015 - 11:59

Ireland women duly wrapped up a third successive success in their T20 World Cup qualifying campaign with a seven wicket win over Zimbabwe in Bangkok on Tuesday.

Not for the first time it was an excellent bowling performance from the “girls in green” that paved the way for the emphatic victory.

Isobel Joyce set the standard with excellent figures of 4-20 while Robyn Lewis added a valuable 2-9 as Zimbabwe batted first.

Lucy O'Reilly (1-7 from 3), Kim Garth (1-12 from 4) and Ciara Metcalfe (1-13 from 4) supported superbly as despite a good start, Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 78 with 1 of their 20 overs left unused at the end.

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It had looked a lot different when Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri had put on 31 for the 1st wicket, however once Ireland broke through they were totally in charge.

No-one else managed to get to double figures after that as the bowling unit turned the screw and the Irish girls proved just as impressive in the field.

Cecilia Joyce, on her 101st International appearance, gave the reply the perfect start as she made 36, sharing an opening stand worth 48 with Clare Shillington (22).

Joyce hit 3 fours and a six in her innings and seemed set to carry her bat before falling to an excellent catch late on.

Despite losing Garth to a run-out soon after, skipper Isobel Joyce (9*) and Cath Dalton (7*) saw the job through to a comfortable conclusion from there.

The captain picked up another player-of-the-match award to add to her growing collection but the manner and margin of the win will have given her even more satisfaction.

And so with the group phase now out of the way, Ireland will meet Scotland in Thursday’s crunch semi-final with a place at India 2016 guaranteed for the winners.

Joyce and her backroom team will be hoping that the women can continue this sort of form into the crucial games ahead.

Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier

Zimbabwe women: 78 all out (19 overs, I Joyce 4-20, R Lewis 2-9)

Ireland women: 79/3 (15.2 overs, C Joyce 36, C Shillington 22)

Ireland Women beat Zimbabwe Women by 7 wickets