India too strong for Ireland

India's women proved too strong for a spirited Irish side running out nine wicket winners in their game at Loughborough.

Having agreed to switch to a ODI instead of a T20, rain forced a rethink of those plans and all that was possible was a return to a 20 over game.

When play did get under way Clare Shillington hit a breezy 15 from 12 balls (3 fours) before being bowled by Nagarajan Niranja with the total on 19.

The Joyce twins then set about the Indian bowling sharing an entertaining second wicket stand of 67 to give their side hope of setting a challenging target.

However Archan Das (2-17) removed Cecelia Joyce for 35 (45 balls, 2 fours) with the score on 86, and with no addition to the total then dismissed Isobel for 32 (36 balls, 3 fours).

Those wickets halted the Irish momentum, and they suffered a couple of run-outs in the search for quick runs. They eventually finished on 107 for 6, with Kim Garth scorring an undefeated 13.

Louise McCarthy gave the Irish an early boost when she had Amita Sharma (3) caught by Melissa Scott-Hayward with the total on just 7.

That however proved a false dawn as Poonam Raut with an unbeaten 51 (50 balls, 6 fours) and Indian skipper Mithali Raj (43*, 44 balls, 5 fours) shared an unbroken second wicket partnership of 102 to win with 20 balls remaining.

Two defeats in two days then for Ireland, but many positives to be taken from their performances against two of the leading teams in the world.