Garth stars as Ireland beat Zimbabwe
KIM GARTH'S superb all-round display helped Ireland to an emphatic 119 run win over Zimbabwe in their crucial World Cup Qualifier opener in Colombo.
The Pembroke star top scored for the Irish with 63 as they posted a commanding 237 for 6 in their 50 overs.
She received good support from skipper Laura Delany who made 47 - her best score for the Girls in Green as the pair added 94 for the 3rd wicket.
The Irish timed their innings perfectly as they accelerated in the final stages, adding 101 in the last 13 overs as the Zimbabweans toiked in the sauna-like conditions.
Clare Shillington hit a breezy 30 from just 20 balls (4 fours, 1 six) as her and Garth added 52 in just 34 balls. Mary Waldron (18*) and teenager Gaby Lewis (13*) kept the momentum going in their unbroken 7th wicket stand of 36 from only 22 balls.
Leinster's Amy Kenealy celebrated her 50th cap by taking two early wickets as Ireland kept a firm grip on the game.
The Hills' leg-spinner Ciara Metcalfe and Garth both picked up three wickets as Zimbabwe slumped from 58 for 2 to 118 all out, losing 8 wickets for 60 runs.
Robyn Lewis (2-7) was the other successful bowler for the Irish in a clinical all-round display which sets them up for Super Six qualification and the continued ODI status that goes with it.
- Ireland's opening batsmen, Meg Kendal and Cecelia Joyce, take the field.
- Umpires, Jacquline Williams and Rohitha Kottachchi walk on to the field to get the match under way.
- A traditional pre match chant by the Zimbabwe players.
- Huddle
- Captains at the toss
- Zimbabwe win the toss and put the Irish in to bat.
- Tasmeen Granger bowls
- Tasmeen Granger
- A frustrated Josephine Nkomo.
- Josephine Nkomo
- Zimbabwe's Precious Marange is congratulated by her teammates after taking the wicket of Irish opener, Cecelia Joyce, for 26
- Zimbabwe's Precious Marange is congratulated by her teammates after taking the wicket of Irish opener, Cecelia Joyce, for 26
- Zimbabwe's Precious Marange
- Precious Marange celebrates
- Zimbabwe's Precious Marange
- Fine fielding by Zimbabwe's Nomatter Mutasa.
- Waldron scoops to deep fine leg for 2 runs.
- Claire Shillington clean bowled by Nkomo for 30.
- Claire Shillington bowled
- Nomatter Mustasa bowls
- Kim Garth gets her half century
- Shillington sweeps to square leg
- Zimbabwe celebrate
- Kim Garth on her way to a rock solid 63
- Nomatter Mutasa in full flight
- Laura Delany to cover for 2 runs
- Garth on her way to a fine 63
- Delany sweeps to long off for a single
- Kim Garth receives the plaudits of her teammates for taking the wicket of Loreen Tshuma for 25.
- Kim Garth appeals
- Great stop by Garth
- Ciara Metcalfe celebrates taking the wicket of Mary-Anne Musonda for 20.
- Ciara Metcalfe celebrates
- Ireland v Zimbabwe
- Lewis sisters, Robyn and Gaby, back each other up in the field.
- Isobel Joyce fields
- Ciara Metcalfe bowls.
- Kim Garth in full flight.
- Kim Garth
- Musonda lofts one down the wicket for 1 run.
- Big appeal by Kim Garth.
- Garth bowling
- Amy Kenealy
- Amy Kenealy took two wickets in her opening speall
- Sporting handshakes between Mary Waldron and Ashley Ndiraya.
- Ashley Ndiraya is stumped for 35 by Mary Waldron, bowled Robyn Lewis.
- Esther Mbofana cuts one to cover.
- Zimbabwe's Ashely Ndiraya on her way to a respectable 30.
- Nomatter Mutasa clean bowled for 0 by player of the match, Kim Garth.
- End of Mutasa
- Kim Garth congratulated
- KIm Garth and Mary Waldron share a laugh
- Smiles for Kim Garth
- Kim Garth steps forward to get Player of the Match
- Player of the match, Ireland's Kim Garth, receives her award from President of the Mercantile Cricket Association, Mr Niran Mahawaththa.
