Ireland women's cricket team


The Ireland women's cricket team represents Ireland in international women's cricket. Cricket in Ireland is governed by Cricket Ireland and organised on an All-Ireland basis, meaning the Irish women's team represents both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Ireland made its One-Day International debut in 1987, against Australia, and the following year played at the 1988 World Cup, making the first of five appearances at the tournament. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s Ireland was considered to be a top-level team, playing regular ODI series and placing as high as fifth at the World Cup. In 2000, the team played its only Test match, defeating Pakistan. Although it still retains ODI status, Ireland has not qualified for a World Cup since the 2005 event. The team has, however, qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 on two occasions, in 2014 and 2016. In December 2018, Cricket Ireland offered professional contracts to the women players for the first time.

History

1980s

The Irish women's team entered the international arena well before their male counterparts, playing their first ODIs in a three match series against Australia in 1987, a full 19 years before the men's team would make their ODI debut. They lost all three games by more than 100 runs, but were still invited to take part in the World Cup the following year in Australia.
In that World Cup, they finished fourth, losing to New Zealand in the third place play-off game. Ireland subsequently came fourth of five in the tournament, with Ireland's only two wins both came against The Netherlands. The next year, Ireland took part in the first Women's European Championship in Denmark, finishing fourth on run rate, with their only win coming against the hosts.

1990s

The first two years of the 1990s again saw Ireland compete in the European Championships, finishing as runners up to England in 1990, and third place in 1991. Sandwiched between those two tournaments was a 2 match ODI series against England, with England winning both games, the second by 10 wickets.
1993 saw them compete in the World Cup again, this time finishing in fifth place. The next European Championship in 1995 again saw them finish as runners up to England. Following this, they settled into a pattern of playing ODIs against whichever team was touring England, a pattern that continues to this day. The 1997 World Cup saw them lose to New Zealand in the quarter finals. The end of the 1990s saw them again finish as runners up to England in the European Championship in 1999.

2000s

Ireland played their first ever Test match in 2000, beating Pakistan by an innings inside two days in Dublin. This is still their only Test match however. They also dominated the ODI series against Pakistan, winning 4–0 with a fifth game rained off. They still could only finish seventh in the World Cup later that year though, their only win coming against The Netherlands. The following year, they won the European Championship, and that remains the only time out of seven tournaments that the England team had not won the competition.
That seventh place meant that they had to take part in the 2003 IWCC Trophy, the inaugural edition of what is now known simply as the World Cup Qualifier. They won every game in that tournament, which qualified them for the world cup in South Africa in 2005. They came last in that tournament, meaning they will have to qualify again for the 2009 World Cup. Later in the year, they yet again finished as runners up to England in the European Championship.
They played a two match ODI series against the Netherlands, winning both games. In November 2007, they went to the Women's World Cup Qualifier in Lahore, where they played Bermuda, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, South Africa and an African qualifier.
In 2009, Ireland beat the Netherlands to win the European Championship.
In April 2016, Laura Delany was named as captain of Ireland women's cricket team replacing Isobel Joyce who stepped down after the 2016 ICC Women's World Twenty20 in India.

Tournament history

World Cup

The Ireland squad for the 2019 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier was as follows:
International match summary – Ireland Women

Test matches

Test record versus other nations
Records complete to Women's Test #111. Last updated 30 July 2000.

ODI cricket

Most ODI runs for Ireland Women
PlayerRunsAverageCareer span
Miriam Grealey141223.141987-2005
Clare Shillington127617.721997–2017
Caitriona Beggs121724.831995-2008
Cecelia Joyce117223.442001-2018
Isobel Joyce99517.151999-2018

Most ODI wickets for Ireland Women
PlayerWicketsAverageCareer span
Isobel Joyce6630.451999-2018
Ciara Metcalfe6027.001999-2017
Barbara McDonald5426.751993-2005
Catherine O'Neill4522.841993-2003
Miriam Grealey3844.711987-2005

Highest individual innings in Women's ODI
PlayerScoreOppositionVenueMatch Date
Karen Young120Dublin27 July 2000
Mary-Pat Moore114*Dublin18 July 1995
Miriam Grealey101Dublin25 July 2000
Mary-Pat Moore99Kirby Muxloe18 July 1990
Clare Shillington95*Miskin Manor19 August 2005

Best bowling figures in an innings in Women's ODI
PlayerScoreOppositionVenueMatch Date
Eimear Richardson5/13Dublin5 August 2009
Ciara Metcalfe5/18Deventer17 August 2007
Susan Bray5/27Kirby Muxloe18 July 1990
Barbara McDonald4/8Dublin27 July 2000
Catherine O'Neill4/10Guragon18 December 1997

ODI record versus other nations
Records complete to WODI #1119. Last updated 13 June 2018.

Women's T20I cricket

Most WT20I runs for Ireland Women
PlayerRunsAverageCareer span
Clare Shillington101918.522008-2018
Isobel Joyce94420.082008-2018
Kim Garth76223.092010-2019
Gaby Lewis67020.302014-2019
Cecelia Joyce65919.382008-2018

Most WT20I wickets for Ireland Women
PlayerWicketsAverageCareer span
Kim Garth4219.882010-2019
Eimear Richardson3920.842008-2019
Laura Delany3325.482010-2019
Isobel Joyce3330.812008-2018
Lucy O'Reilly2725.032013-2018

WT20I record versus other nations
Records complete to WT20I #753. Last updated 7 September 2019.