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Scotland notched up a historic maiden World Cup win on Saturday, coming out on top against Ireland by 40 runs. The Scotland captain, Kathryn Bryce, struck a powerful 60 from 39 balls and followed it up with a brilliant one-handed caught-and-bowled to see off Alana Dalzell in the first over of Ireland’s chase.
It was an emotional occasion for the 28-year-old Kirstie Gordon, who switched allegiance back to her native Scotland this year after playing a handful of internationals for England in 2018-19. Gordon had been in tears before play as Flower of Scotland rang out around the ground, but she was all smiles three hours later after returning figures of three for 16.
She came within a whisker of a World Cup hat-trick – turning one just past the bat of Orla Prendergast – but by then she had already drained the last hope from Ireland’s run chase with a three-wicket over, taking out the stumps of Rebecca Stokell and Alice Tector and holding on to a sharp return catch from Leah Paul.
Off-spinner Katherine Fraser chimed in with three wickets including the key one of Gaby Lewis, stumped for 11, while Prendergast was run out for 33 as Ireland were all out for 121 in 19.1 overs.
At the Captains’ Carnival last weekend, Bryce and Lewis had talked up this match as a “massive rivalry”. A few years ago, certainly, these two teams would have been an even match: until 2024, Scotland had never even featured in a World Cup, while this is Ireland’s fifth outing.
But with Scottish players (including Bryce, Gordon and Fraser) now able to compete in England as domestic professionals and Irish players locked out of that option by virtue of Ireland being a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), this contest had a feeling of amateurs against professionals. Scotland ran harder, fielded better and looked like a well-drilled unit.
Scotland’s total of 162 for five was founded on a 106-run partnership between the Bryce sisters, who played to their strengths: Kathryn powerful down the ground, while Sarah cut beautifully, although the pair also hammered a six apiece over wide long-on.
Despite a slow outfield, Scotland looked on course for an even bigger total, but Ireland pulled things back at the death. Arlene Kelly cramped Sarah Bryce for room and had her caught behind one run short of a half century. Then seamer Ava Canning surprised Ailsa Lister with a slower ball that rebounded off her body into the stumps, and tempted Kathryn Bryce into a miscue up to cover.
After the hectic middle overs, the final four were something of an anticlimax: three wickets lost, 19 runs added and no boundaries.
Ireland had won the toss and chosen to bowl first, but conditions proved tricky for fielding. It was so windy that the World Cup 2026 carpet had to be nailed into the outfield to stop it blowing into the Bridgewater canal, while the ICC unfurled comically miniature versions of the saltire and the tricolour during the anthems, to prevent the flag-bearers being swept off their feet.
Thus hoicks from Darcey Carter, Katherine Fraser, Kathryn Bryce and Lister swirled past the hands of fielders in the deep. Carter and Fraser fell relatively cheaply – Tector finally held on to a catch at deep midwicket, while Carter was bowled after failing to dig out Maguire’s yorker – but Bryce made Ireland pay for their errors.
