In an exhilarating conclusion to the third one-day international cricket match in Belfast, Ireland achieved their initial ODI triumph over England since 2001. This game saw Alana Dalzell hitting a boundary off the last ball, taking Ireland to victory. The match, shortened to 22 overs per side due to rainfall, was marked by Mady Villiers’ performance for England when she seized three late wickets, seemingly swinging the game back in England’s favour. Hollie Armitage’s misfield, however, allowed Dalzell to score the winning runs off the final ball.
The English side was all-out for 153 runs, with Tammy Beaumont scoring 52 off 42 balls. Despite this, Aimee Maguire from Ireland secured a remarkable 5/19 bowling figure. The Irish side, spurred on by Gaby Lewis’ brilliant 72 runs from 56 balls, powerfully chased the target. The game saw a twist in the 19th over when Lewis was caught behind off the bowling of Lauren Filer, causing Ireland to be 138/4.
As Ireland progressively neared their target in the thrilling final stages, last over drama saw Villiers dismiss both Alice Tector and Jane Maguire for no score, giving England a hope for victory. Unaffected by this, Dalzell faced a delivery and struck it to the boundary, having Armitage misjudging the ball under the setting sun. England had already secured the three-match series, but for Ireland, this marked not just a token win but an end to a 20-year hiatus without victory over England.