Key events
England win by four wickets!
17.3 overs England 119-6 (Gibson 4, Dean 4) And it finishes with a wide!
NSB has a tightness in her calf
A statement from the ECB “Nat Sciver-Brunt felt tightness in her calf and retired hurt as a precaution. She is currently being assessed by England medics.”
17th over: England 115-6 (Gibson 1, Dean 4) After a wicket and four dot balls, Gibson advances and squeezes four through the off side. England are nearly there – just four needed
WICKET! Kemp run-out 2 (Maguire) (England 111-6)
By the length of a school sock. Gibson hits to cover but it was always going to be tricky.
WICKET! Nat Sciver Brunt retires 48 (England 110-5)
16th over: England 111-5 (Kemp 2, Gibson 1) Quite a few of the crowd have gone home now, as the clock ticks towards 10.30. And four at last hauled legside between two converging fielders by NSB – who is now walking off the field, past the dugout and off the pitch. We hope, really hope that this isn’t an injury.
15th over: England 104-4 (Sciver-Brunt 43, Kemp 1) Now a cheesed off Sciver-Brunt refers a ball that she thinks should have been a no-ball for height. I’ve never seen that happen before. It was loopy for sure, and high, but the third umpire calls it fair as it was dipping. Ireland hanging on in here, not giving away boundaries and making England run for their money.
14th over: England 99-4 (Sciver-Brunt 39, Kemp 0) Kemp sends Prendergast through backward point for four first ball, but the umpire calls dead ball. Not sue why
WICKET! Knight lbw Prendergast 26 (England 99-4)
On the England bench, Freya Kemp sits patiently with her helmet on, but these two are in the zone. Actually cancel that – an energetic lbw appeal against Knight by Prendergast – turned down on the field but Ireland refer it – why not? The Irish women can hardly contain themselves as they wait for the decision – and it is well and truly out, would have cannoned into leg.
13th over: England 95-3 (Sciver-Brunt 36, Knight 25) More energetic singles, a two, then Knight swat-sweeps a low full toss for four. Pow! Maguire keeps plugging away.
12th over: England 86-3 (Sciver-Brunt 33, Knight 19) On the radio Ed Joyce calls for 18 year old Alic Tector, and Tector it is. She starts with a wide and then NSB and Knight tick her this way and that. On the balcony, Charlotte Edwards watches and smiles. England need 33 to win.
11th over: England 77-3 (Sciver-Brunt 30, Knight 15) It’s dark now at Southampton, the scoreboard glowing out of the blackness. NSB and Knight are able to keep things ticking along without taking any risks – from directing their shots and running fast. And, as the commentators just said, excellent ground fielding by Ireland too.
10th over: England 70-3 (Sciver-Brunt 28, Knight 11) Dalzell returns. NSB fails to make contact with a ramp, then drives – a singing shot that deserves more than two. But no problem, Knight provides the boundary – sweeping through backward square. The runs are starting to flow.
9th over: England 62-3 (Sciver-Brunt 24, Knight 6) NSB and Knight are getting the party started. NSB flays Murray over mid-on for four. More intelligent running.
8th over: England 54-3 (Sciver-Brunt 19, Knight 3) Take that! NSBeyes up Dalzell’s first ball and ruthlessly hauls her for four. An enthusiastic roar from the crowd for England’s fifty and NSB and Knight are racing between the wickets here.
7th over: England 44-3 (Sciver-Brunt 11,Knight 1 ) Time for some legspin. Murray, green scrunchie to match her shirt. Her first ball bounces obligingly and NSB fires her to the long-on boundary. An energetic bit of fielding on the boundary by Tector prevents a boundary, though England sprint through for three.
6th over: England 35-3 (Sciver-Brunt 1,Knight 0 ) Capsey powers four through deep midwicket, a little power pack. But is sent on her way next ball, a zinging yorker. This is suddenly interesting. In the stands, the Irish fans perk up.
WICKET! Capsey b Perendergast 5 (England 35-3)
Three down in the power play! Capsey done neck and crop.
5th over: England 30-2 (Sciver-Brunt 1, Capsey 1) A double wicket over from Maguire subtly changes the complexion of the chase.
WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge c Lewis b Maguire 16 (England 28-2)
Wyatt-Hodge fancies going over the top but Lewis, once again is waiting. She clenches her fist in celebration.
WICKET! Jones c Lewis b Maguire 9 (England 27-1)
A catch of concentration, over her shoulder as Jones tries to chip over cover but can’t get the length.
4th over: England 27-0 (Jones 9, Wyatt-Hodge 16) Jones could have been on her way, but Hunter cant hold on as she dives. Typically, Jones then cover drives Prendergast gloriously for four.
3rd over: England 20-0 (Jones 4, Wyatt-Hodge 15) There’s a big group of young women in the stands – looks like a cricket team, which is lovely to see. Wyatt Hodge decides it is time to throw the bat at Kelly and sends the ball skywards, it looks like it might fall towards the running fielder, but bounces past and into the rope. The next ball is thrashed through the covers for four more. Someone has pressed play on Wyatt-Hodge.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Jones 1, Wyatt-Hodge 6) Prendergast, who was furious with herself for getting out, sprints in, athletic. Three dots, a wide, a cracker that passes the outside edge. Just two from an excellent over.
England start their chase
1st over: England 6-0 (Jones 1, Wyatt-Hodge 5) Left-armer Maguire, hunched shoulders, dark hair in a long plait, busy action. Jones picks a single off the first ball, then three dot balls. Wyatt-Hodge advances on a full toss and it could have been a catch but the ball skids past her a mid-on and runs on to the rope.
Ireland 118-9 after 20 overs
20th over: Ireland 101-9 (Little 26, Maguire 1) With nothing to loose, Little enjoys this final over from Lauren Bell – four fours including a screamer through mid off and a top edge which bursts through Jones (still standing up) She dances down the pitch and swings legside for one final boundary. Seventeen from the over to give Ireland a sniff of a chance.
19th over: Ireland 101-9 (Little 10, Maguire 0) A double wicket maiden for Ecclestone, who grins happily. Four overs, three for 22 – a good night’s work.
WICKET! Murray c Capsey b Ecclestone 1 (Ireland 100-9)
Murray rolls her wrists, lofts the ball high, but not long, and Capsey running round from mid on takes the catch.
WICKET! Kelly c Knight b Ecclestone 7 (Ireland 98-8)
Throws herself at Ecclestone’s first ball, back leg almost bucking behind her, and is caught at backward point.
18th over: Ireland 98-7 (Little 9, Kelly 7) Smith’s final over, little and round-arm, she’s so quick too between balls, doesn’t give the players a chance to think. Five singles from it.
17th over: Ireland 93-7 (Little 7, Kelly 4) Just four singles off Ecclestone’s over .
16th over: Ireland 89-7 (Little 5, Kelly 2) Little picks up four from a thick edge off Bell, then Kelly lives dangerously, hitting over the top of mid-on. And a missed chance by Jones behind the gloves, well I say a missed chance but it deflected onto her thigh
WICKET! Paul lbw Dean 10 (Ireland 82-7)
Paul advances down, plays across the line, and potato hits pad. She marches off in a resigned shuffle.
15th over: Ireland 82-7 (Little 0, Kelly 0) Paul reverse-scoops Dean for four, dinky shot, then England fluff a run out, but they get their woman with the last ball of Dean’s super spell.
WICKET! Tector c Sciver-Brunt b Gibson (Ireland 78-6)
After getting inventive earlier in the over, a standard chip to mid 0n
14th over: Ireland 78-6 (Paul 6) Danni Gibson, gold hoops in her ears, determined expression on her face. In the crowd a group of middle-aged women are wearing St George’s Cross Deely Boppers – I remember them the first time around. Gibson throws down a bouncer but it misses batter and keeper and flies away for four byes. Oooh, then Tector gets a flighty inside edge just past her stumps for four more. But that’s her lot.
13th over: Ireland 68-5 (Paul 5, Tector 5) When you’re short of runs, the woman you don’t want to see is Linsey Smith. But here she is. And actually Ireland weave five from it.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/jun/16/womens-t20-world-cup-2026-england-v-ireland-live
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