England Women enjoyed a productive day in the UAE sun, overcoming Ireland but narrowly losing to the UAE Under-17 boys in the final over.
The two England XIs were mixed up, allowing a further chance for new combinations and for individuals to take on different roles, with World Cup selection under a month away.
The XI who took on Ireland – this time at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium – were captained by Heather Knight and they bowled first. Beth Langston was the first to strike, finding the edge of Mary Waldron’s bat with Amy Jones behind the stumps doing the rest.
Jones was in the action again soon after, this time snaffling a chance off the bowling of Kate Cross and she made it three from three when Nat Sciver dismissed Leah Paul in the same manner.
Ireland’s Gaby Lewis was putting up a fight at one end but England kept chipping away, Sciver took her second wicket of the day soon after with a tidy return catch and four became five when Danni Hazell trapped Lucy O’Reilly in front.
Amy Kenealy joined Lewis and helped put on 30 for the seventh wicket but an unfortunate run-out at the non-strker’s end ended their resistance and Laura Marsh came on to clean-bowl Lewis and make it 97-7. Marsh grabbed her second when Lara Maritz chipped to Tash Farrant at mid-off and then Langston returned to finish the innings off with two wickets to take her tally to three.
Ireland made 106 but it was agreed that England would attempt to chase down 245 from 40 overs. Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones enjoyed a fast start and both passed 50 in some style before Jones holed out for 51 and Beaumont followed her for a-run-a-ball 63.
Sarah Taylor joined Fran Wilson at the crease with the score at 168-2. Wilson had already showed off her array of reverse-sweeps and paddles and she added to that with a big six over long-on. Wilson was trapped in front for 50 but Taylor and Sciver got the side over the line to win by seven wickets.
In the match against UAE Under-17s, a 25-over fixture, England batted first and recovered well from the loss of opener Eve Jones and No.3 Danni Wyatt. Lauren Winfield and Georgia Elwiss took the score to 155-2 with Winfield making an unbeaten 91.
The UAE Under-17s’ reply was thrilling. With all three results still possible as the final over began it eventually went the way of the hosts, who squeaked over the line by one wicket thanks to some big hitting from the lower order.
It was an educational process for England who fought back well with the ball after a strong opening stand by UAE. They will reflect on a bowling performance that was not without its highlights – namely a hat-trick from left-arm spinner Alex Hartley, who bamboozled three batsmen in three balls to see them all clean-bowled.