By Srian Obeyesekere

Ireland Women won a close contest over Sri Lanka Women by 3 wickets with Orla Prendergast undefeated on 122 off 107 balls in upstaging the touring team’s century works by opening batter Vishmi Gunaratne who struck 101 off 98 balls hitting 9 boundaries and 3 sixes as the host team’s 261 for 7 off 49.2 overs overhauled their opponents 260 for 8 off 50 overs in the first of three ODIs of the ICC Women’s Championship at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast. It was Ireland’s highest ODI chase.

Vishmi Gunaratne, who has hit cracking form in her recent outings, came to the show with her maiden ODI ton after Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu had gone for a first ball duck with Prendergast having her caught behind by Hunter in what was the beginning to her Player of the Match all-round performance picking 3 wickets for 25 to doing the job for Ireland with the bat.

For the Sri Lanka Women, Vishmi Gunaratne played a virtual lone act but for the third-wicket support from Hasini Perera who made 46 off 72 balls with just a boundary and six apiece in a 122-run rescue act with none of the rest crossing the 20 mark after being put into bat.

Ireland’s Orla Prendergast, who has been center piece to coming back after losing the T20 opener to the Sri Lankans to winning the series by as terrific a ton in the second game in the shot format, was once again in full cry yesterday hitting 10 boundaries and 2 sixes.

Kavisha Dilhari was the pick of the Lankan bowlers claiming 4 wickets for 54 runs.

CHIEF SCORES:

Sri Lanka Women 260/8 (50 Overs) (Vishmi Gunaratne 101, Hasini Perera 46, Harshitha Samarawickrama 19, Sugandika Kumari 18, Kavisha Dilhari 16, Nilakshika Silva 13, Orla Prendergast 3/25, Alana Dalzell 2/37, Arlene Kelly 2/42, Alice Tector 1/49)

Ireland Women 261/7 (49.2 Overs) (Orla Prendergast n.o. 122, Amy Hunter 42, Sarah Forbes 30, Rebecca Stokell 19, Arlene Kelly 12, Kavisha Dilhari 4/54, Achini Kulasuriya 1/24, Sachini Nisansala 1/44, Udeshika Prabodhani 1/47)