A century from Maia Bouchier led England to a record women’s one‑day international run chase against Ireland at Grace Road on Tuesday, as they passed their target of 282 with six wickets and 71 balls to spare.
Bouchier missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup in June, but she remains a key part of England’s ODI plans as they try to build a new team following the retirements of Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont.
Bouchier initially played second fiddle to Sophia Dunkley, who smashed 73 from 61 balls. But when Dunkley drove a return catch to the leg-spinner Cara Murray, it was left to Bouchier to bring up the three-figure score which was there for the taking against a helpless-looking Irish attack.
“Obviously gutting that I missed out on the World Cup,” Bouchier said. “But it was a really good way to play some more cricket [for Hampshire] and take the positives instead of the negatives. There’s a lot of opportunity next year which is really exciting. If I can just put my name out there and score those big runs, I hope that will take care of itself.”
England are contesting the three ODIs against Ireland without several key players – the regular captain Nat Sciver‑Brunt remains injured, while Lauren Bell, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophie Ecclestone, Amy Jones and Linsey Smith are being rested. The series therefore provides an intriguing glimpse into the future, with the 21‑year‑old Jodi Grewcock batting at No 3 and the off‑spinning all‑rounder Mady Villiers making a white‑ball return after two years in the wilderness.
Grewcock failed to shine, bowled through the gate by the wily Murray for nine, while Bouchier holed out to long-on for 104. But Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp continued the momentum with a flurry of boundaries, ensuring England romped home.
The Ireland captain, Gaby Lewis, said: “It’s very disappointing. You’re battling against world-class players who really took on the powerplay, and they put our bowlers off their lines and built that pressure for our bowlers and we struggled with our execution.”
Earlier there were half-centuries for three Ireland players – Amy Hunter, Lewis and Rebecca Stokell – although Stokell’s original celebrations proved premature when the umpires ruled that a boundary over fine leg had come off her helmet and counted as leg-byes. She was then given out lbw to England’s stand‑in captain, Charlie Dean, but had the decision overturned on review, allowing her to reach the milestone for real with 10 balls left of the innings.
There remain concerns about England’s lack of bowling depth. Without Bell and Ecclestone, England’s attack – spearheaded by Issy Wong and Lauren Filer – lacked penetration, allowing Lewis and Hunter to stroll to a 136-run partnership for the second wicket.
England also leaked 33 extras, including 20 wides – the second-most conceded by England in an ODI in the professional era. Capsey, keeping wicket for the first time in a full international in place of the rested Jones, took a brilliant one‑handed diving grab to see off Alice Tector. On the other hand, might a more experienced keeper have prevented some of those wides?
There is an equation to be balanced between the number of runs saved by fielding the best keeper (Jones) against the number of runs gained by playing the more consistent batter (Capsey) – and it is the head coach, Charlotte Edwards, who will be required to do the maths.
