IRELAND'S women cricketers will face Pakistan tomorrow with a place in the next ICC World Twenty20 at stake. Should they lose that they will have a second chance against Netherlands on Wednesday.

Jeremy Bray's charges lost their final group game heavily to Sri Lanka yesterday but showed enough to suggest they will accomplish their goal.

It was a bittersweet sort of day for captain Isobel Joyce, who was playing her 100th international.

She went home last night laden with gifts including a framed Ireland cap, and a bottle of champagne from host club Merrion, where she and the rest of her illustrious family have played since they could hold a bat.

But one run and one wicket was a poor return for the greatest all-rounder Ireland has ever produced. She made her debut in 1999, and with her 30th birthday last week has spent almost half her life as an international cricketer.

Sri Lanka are a classy side, and after asking Ireland to bat had virtually finished the game as a contest after three overs. Clare Shillington and Cecilia Joyce fell to Sripali Weerakkoddy and Isobel followed next over to leave Ireland rocking at 5-3.

Kim Garth led the rally, and had made 12 when she fell to the cruellest dismissal, run out at the non-striker's end as the bowler flicked the ball onto the stumps. The collapse went on, until it reached 39-9 off 16 overs.

In this summer of startling last wicket stands, Elena Tice and Louise McCarthy nudged and scampered 23 runs, including a deft ramp shot for four by Tice.

They didn't make it easy for Sri Lanka's batters, with Garth proving a handful, but the Asians clinched the win - and a semifinal against Netherlands - with five overs to spare.