Former captain Stafanie Taylor’s vintage century powered West Indies Women to a convincing 64-run win over Ireland Women in the third and final ODI. The victory sealed a dominant 3-0 series sweep for the visitors and underlined their tactical edge under Hayley Matthews’ captaincy.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Ireland’s skipper Gaby Lewis hoped her side could exploit early moisture and overhead conditions. The decision yielded immediate dividends when Ireland’s vice-captain Orla Prendergast dismissed the dangerous Hayley Matthews for just 6 runs in the early exchanges. Realeanna Grimmond fought hard for a patient 14 off 42 deliveries but struggled to break the shackles against a disciplined Irish bowling effort.
The match swung firmly in West Indies’ favour when Stafanie Taylor came to the crease. The veteran batter controlled the innings with assurance, blending measured aggression with smart strike rotation and hitting ten boundaries. Her commanding 105 off 113 balls formed the backbone of the total, supported by Jahzara Claxton’s 30 and Aaliyah Alleyne’s brisk 33 off 30 late in the innings. Although Orla Prendergast (2/37), Jane Maguire (2/44), and Georgina Dempsey (2/61) struck late, West Indies batted through their 50 overs to reach a strong 257, with Taylor falling on the final ball.
Chasing 258, Ireland started steadily as captain Gaby Lewis led the reply with fluent strokeplay on a flattening Bready pitch. She reached a composed half-century, making 50 off 59 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Amy Hunter added a useful 30, helping the hosts build a platform and stay in contention through the first half of the innings.
Unfortunately for the home side, the departure of Lewis triggered a catastrophic middle-order collapse. The West Indian spin department took complete control of the match, drying up the runs and building immense scoreboard pressure. Karishma Ramharack was the standout performer with the ball, dismantling the middle and lower order with stellar figures of 3 for 33 across her 6.1 overs. She was brilliantly supported by veteran leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, who replicated the exact figures of 3 for 33 in her 10-over quota.
Leah Paul resisted late with a determined 32 off 47 balls, but she received little support as Ireland’s lower order folded against the West Indian spinners. Series MVP Hayley Matthews sealed the result with 2 for 37, helping bowl the hosts out for 193 in the 44th over. The emphatic 64-run win secured maximum ICC Women’s Championship points for West Indies and left Ireland with key areas to address before their next international assignments.
Brief scores: West Indies Women 257/10 in 50 overs (Stafanie Taylor 105, Aaliyah Alleyne 33; Orla Prendergast 2-37, Jane Maguire 2-44) beat Ireland Women 193/10 in 43.1 overs (Gaby Lewis 50, Leah Paul 32; Karishma Ramharack 3-33, Afy Fletcher 3-33) by 64 runs.
