Already a superstar for Ireland, Orla’s best yet to come

CHENNAI: At one point in Ireland’s chase of 260 against Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, the required run rate had gone beyond seven. Orla Prendergast had already passed her personal best score (71) in the format, but she needed to pull a rabbit out of a hat to keep Ireland in the contest.

Just as she was looking to accelerate in the final six overs, the all-rounder lost Arlene Kelly and Alice Tector in a span of three balls. For a team looking to put their first points on the board in the ICC Women’s ODI Championship, it was looking like a familiar picture where Ireland ended up crumbling under pressure. However, Prendergast kept her calm.

With 21-year-old Jane Maguire by her side, she took on Sri Lanka’s bowling to give Ireland an unlikely win against the newly-crowned champions of Asia. En route, she scored her first ODI century (122 not out) and that came on the back of her best-ever bowling performance (3/25) in the first innings, where she took the wicket of opposition captain Chamari Athapathuthu with her fourth ball of the match.