Maia Bouchier leads England charge towards record run chase

England’s batters put Ireland’s bowlers to the sword to secure a dominant six-wicket win in the first Metro Bank ODI of the series.

And it was a second ODI hundred from opener Maia Bouchier that stole the show as England made light work of a record chase of 282 to reach their target with almost 12 overs left to spare.

Such was the power and precision from the England Women top order, it left fans wondering what sort of a score Ireland might have needed to contain them.

On a surface in Leicester that had plenty of runs on offer, Ireland will have thought that they had reached a competitive total at the halfway stage, but the combination of Bouchier and Sophia Dunkley from the start of the chase adjusted expectations.

Perfect

They added 143 for the opening wicket inside 20 overs to give Charlie Dean’s side the perfect platform before Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp added the turbo chargers as the target came ever closer.

Capsey had earlier played a starring role in the first wicket of the day, taking a stunning one handed catch to her right from Alice Tector’s edge to show just why there is so much confidence in her new role as wicket-keeper.

It was the first of two wickets for Issy Wong, with Dean also claiming 2-44 in her 10 overs as three Irish players scored half centuries in the midlands sunshine.

But by the time the floodlights had taken full effect into the evening, there was only one team beaming at the outcome as England took a one-nil lead in the three match series.

READ MORE: County Championship run-in: All to play for as the season enters the final month