Cricket

England Women's cricket team secured an emphatic 275-run victory over Ireland in the second ODI at Stormont, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Tammy Beaumont's unbeaten 150 was the cornerstone of England's dominant performance, while Kate Cross's career-best bowling figures of 3 for 8 dismantled Ireland's batting lineup.Beaumont's century, her 10th in ODIs, propelled her to the top of England's all-time list for most hundreds in the format. She now trails only Meg Lanning (15) and Suzie Bates (13) on the overall list. The 31-year-old opener faced just 139 deliveries, striking 16 fours and a six, as England chased down Ireland's paltry total of 45 with 33.1 overs to spare.Ireland's batting collapse was triggered by Cross, who claimed three wickets in her opening spell. The England captain, who had also starred with both bat and ball in the first ODI, continued her impressive form, bowling with pace and accuracy. Freya Kemp, who is part of England's T20 World Cup squad but was sent to Ireland to regain form, contributed 65 runs to England's total. The 19-year-old all-rounder also chipped in with two wickets.Lauren Filer, who was overlooked for the T20 World Cup, took 3 for 10, while debutant Georgia Davis claimed 2 for 19. Ireland's total of 45 was their lowest-ever in ODIs, highlighting the gulf in class between the two sides.Beaumont, who has been dropped from England's T20I team, emphasized that her performance was not about proving anyone wrong. "I've got nothing left to prove in my game," she said. "I'm playing for me and playing for England and playing for my team-mates."The victory extends England's dominance over Ireland, who have now lost 10 consecutive ODIs against their rivals. The two teams will meet again in the third and final ODI on Wednesday, before England travel to Dublin for three T20Is.

The Blaze, chasing a target of 246, secured a six-wicket victory over Sunrisers at Derby, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy knock-out stage alive. All-rounder Kathryn Bryce played a pivotal role, scoring an unbeaten 87 and claiming four wickets for 41 runs.England's Tammy Beaumont (59) and Sarah Bryce (41) provided a solid foundation for The Blaze's chase, putting on a 76-run opening partnership. Ella Claridge contributed an unbeaten 33 from 27 balls to help Bryce finish things off.For Sunrisers, Cordelia Griffith top-scored with 65, while Eva Gray (37) and Jodi Grewcock (36) made valuable contributions. However, Bryce's bowling prowess proved too much for Sunrisers, as she dismissed Griffith, Gray, and Amara Carr in quick succession.The result was a setback for Sunrisers, who remain in contention for a top-four finish and a semi-final berth. The Blaze, on the other hand, have gained momentum with six wins in their last eight completed matches.

Welsh Fire's dominant performance against Southern Brave at the Utilita Bowl secured their place in The Hundred's knockout stage. Barbadian all-rounder Hayley Matthews played a pivotal role, showcasing her exceptional skills with both bat and ball.Matthews' opening spell with the ball proved devastating for the Brave, as she claimed four wickets for just 14 runs. Her offbreaks proved too much for Danni Wyatt, Smriti Mandhana, Georgia Adams, and Maia Bouchier, leaving the Brave reeling at 15 for 4.Jess Jonassen joined the wicket-taking party, dismissing Freya Kemp and Naomi Dattani, while Matthews returned to trap Kalea Moore in front. Chloe Tryon's valiant 55 (38) provided some respite for the Brave, but the Fire's bowlers kept the pressure on, restricting them to a modest total of 103.In response, the Fire's openers, Tammy Beaumont and Matthews, put on a batting masterclass. Beaumont's 59* (40) was a display of power and finesse, while Matthews' unbeaten 35 (31) showcased her ability to find the gaps. The pair shared a 72-run partnership, guiding the Fire to a comfortable nine-wicket victory with 26 balls to spare.Matthews' all-round brilliance has been a key factor in the Fire's success this season. Her ability to contribute with both bat and ball has made her an invaluable asset to the team."We've been really good," Matthews said. "We've got a lot of experience, and we've played on that really well. The bowlers have done a great job, and it's been a complete team performance."The Fire's victory puts them in a strong position to finish top of the standings and qualify automatically for the Hundred Final at Lord's. They will face Trent Rockets on Wednesday afternoon, with a convincing win potentially securing them the top spot.

Welsh Fire's dominant performance at Sophia Gardens propelled them to the summit of the women's Hundred standings, as they comfortably defeated Southern Brave by seven wickets.Hayley Matthews' exceptional bowling display, claiming three wickets for just 16 runs, proved instrumental in restricting Southern Brave to a meager total of 84. The Brave's batting lineup struggled to cope with the seam and spin bowling, with none of their batters managing to establish a significant partnership.Georgia Adams emerged as the top scorer for Southern Brave with a modest 17 runs, while Matthews' all-around brilliance shone through. The West Indian all-rounder's accurate bowling was complemented by a superb fielding effort, with Phoebe Franklin and Tammy Beaumont taking crucial catches to dismiss Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt, respectively.Welsh Fire's chase began cautiously, with Sophia Dunkley falling for a golden duck. However, Beaumont and Bryce steadily accumulated runs, gradually chipping away at the target. Beaumont's dismissal by Lauren Cheatle, who was the most economical bowler for Southern Brave, left Jess Jonassen with the task of guiding Fire to victory.Jonassen's composed batting ensured Fire's fourth win in this year's Hundred, solidifying their position at the top of the table.Matthews, the Meerkat Match Hero, attributed her success to precise bowling and the team's collective effort. "I tried to pitch it in good areas and keep my lines straight," she said. "There was some turn and bounce in the pitch, so I focused on keeping the stumps in play.""We've been playing well as a team and having everyone contribute," Matthews added. "Getting the wicket from the first ball gave us a great start, and we just built on that momentum."

The Blaze secured their spot in the regional women's final for the third consecutive year, triumphing over Central Sparks by five wickets with two overs remaining in the first semi-final of the Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day at Derby.Despite Hannah Baker's impressive 3 for 24, the experience of Tammy Beaumont (39 off 31) and Kathryn Bryce (44 off 39) proved crucial for The Blaze. Josie Groves' quickfire 14 off four balls sealed the victory for last year's runners-up.Courtney Webb's unbeaten 45 off 31 balls rescued the Sparks innings from a precarious 93 for 6. Davina Perrin (32 off 17) and Ami Campbell (21 off 14) had provided a solid start with a 54-run partnership in the powerplay. However, Groves' 2 for 16 and Grace Ballinger's 2 for 34 put the brakes on the Sparks' momentum.Campbell's aggressive approach paid off initially, but she was caught at long-on in the sixth over. Perrin's dismissal triggered a collapse, with Sparks losing four wickets for 18 runs. Kathryn Bryce ran out Abbey Freeborn, while Groves bowled Katie George and Charis Pavely.Em Arlott's dismissal left Sparks struggling at 114 for 7, but Webb and Ballinger rallied to finish strongly. The Blaze, in response, plundered 51 runs in their powerplay, despite losing Marie Kelly early. Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce added 57 runs for the second wicket, putting their side in a commanding position.Sparks fought back with the wickets of Beaumont and Sarah Bryce, but Graham's six off Potts left The Blaze needing just 33 runs off the last five overs. Graham's dismissal and Kathryn Bryce's miscue gave Sparks hope, but Groves' three fours off George sealed the victory for The Blaze with two overs to spare.

The Blaze, last year's Charlotte Edwards Cup runners-up, have secured their place in the Finals Day once again after defeating Northern Diamonds by 13 runs at Headingley. This victory marks their seventh consecutive win in the ongoing campaign.Blaze, who defended a target of 160, are the undisputed leaders of the table. However, they faced a challenge from Diamonds, who have struggled this season with six losses in seven games. Despite their valiant effort, Diamonds' hopes of qualifying for the showpiece day at Derby on June 22 now hang in the balance.Kathryn Bryce and Tammy Beaumont, both international players, played pivotal roles in Blaze's victory. Bryce scored an impressive 54 off 39 balls, while Beaumont contributed 45 off 33. Bess Heath, England's fringe wicketkeeper-batter, fought back for Diamonds with a blistering 59 off 32. However, the hosts' momentum was halted as they collapsed from 94 for 2 in the 12th over to 146 all out in the 20th.Sarah Glenn, England's legspinner, claimed 3 for 32, while Bryce added two wickets with her seamers. After the early dismissal of Teresa Graves, Bryce and Beaumont formed a formidable second-wicket partnership of 78, propelling Blaze to a strong position.Despite Beaumont's departure, Diamonds showed resilience. Allrounder Erin Burns assisted offspinner Katherine Fraser in removing Sarah Bryce and Heather Graham. Bryce, who had reached a dynamic fifty off 34 balls, was dismissed by legspinner Katie Levick. Ella Claridge was also bowled, leaving Blaze at 139 for 6.Grace Ballinger's dismissal of Lauren Winfield-Hill and Glenn's bowling of Hollie Armitage left Diamonds at a precarious 18 for 2 in the third over. However, Heath's aggressive batting, including five boundaries in her first 11 balls, gave Diamonds hope.The tide turned once again as Stere Kalis was caught behind off Glenn and Heath was caught at deep cover off Bryce. Four wickets fell for 26 runs, leaving Diamonds at 120 for 6 in the 15th over. Glenn and Bryce claimed further wickets to seal Blaze's victory.

England's captain, Heather Knight, has emphasized the team's commitment to their aggressive batting approach, which proved successful in their recent T20I series sweep against Pakistan. However, she acknowledges the need for adaptation to the different rhythms of the 50-over format as they prepare for the first ODI against the same opponents on Friday.Knight's crucial innings of 49 from 44 balls in the first T20I at Edgbaston helped rescue England from a precarious position. She expressed confidence in the team's ability to post competitive totals, as demonstrated by their varied performances in each match."We posted pretty good totals each time, which was really pleasing," Knight said. "Knowing different ways to punch out a score is really important. That's a good sign, and I think it's a real strength of ours, that depth we have in our batting."Knight praised the team's response to the slower pace of Pakistan's bowlers, highlighting the importance of learning how to approach such conditions. She believes this experience will be valuable for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Bangladesh."The response from the top-order from that first game was really good," she said. "I feel like it's a really good learning for us about how we're going to approach those bowlers on potentially slower wickets."While maintaining their aggressive mindset, Knight recognizes the need for a more calculated approach in ODI cricket. "In ODI cricket, you have a little bit more time to read situations and cope with the ebbs and flows of the games," she explained. "There's obviously a lot of space to be aggressive, but you've got to do it for longer and be a bit more calculated."Tammy Beaumont, who missed the T20Is, is expected to return to the ODI squad, alongside Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt. Kate Cross will also play a key role as a senior seamer, especially with Nat Sciver-Brunt's limited availability as a bowler.Knight acknowledged the intense competition within England's batting lineup, with Sophia Dunkley also pushing for a recall. She believes this competition will drive individual improvement.However, Knight recognizes the challenges that the switch to the ODI format may pose, particularly for younger players who are more accustomed to T20 cricket. She cited Alice Capsey as an example, who has played significantly more T20 matches than List A games."Alice is still working out the tempo that she wants to go at," Knight said. "She's had success in dominating the powerplay, but it's about expanding her game and learning to adapt to different situations."Knight also faces a dilemma in balancing her spin attack, with Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, and Sarah Glenn all vying for selection. "It's something that we haven't really done, but it's so hard to leave one of them out there," she said.While the T20 World Cup remains England's primary focus, Knight is mindful of the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2025. "For me, it's about improving as a team, be it in the T20 format or the one-day format," she said. "I want us to focus on what we're doing now, which is trying to win the series against Pakistan."