Match: 1st T20
Teams: Ireland W vs Scotland W.
Venue: Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast, Ireland.
Time: 3:30 pm IST.
Preview: The Scotland Women's team visits Ireland for a 4 match T20 series. Both the teams haven't fared in any international assignments in the last 18 months. Ireland would be the favourites because of the home conditions and has also an upper hand over the Scots in last 3 H2H matches.
Weather Report: Showers postponed the 1st T20 to Tuesday. However, the werather report on Monday is clear. However, intermittent showers are expected.
Pitch Report: Out of the 16 T20s held at Civil Service Cricket Club, the team batting second has won 12 of those matches. The surface is likely to assist the bowlers initially and bowling first will be the obvious choice.
Last 3 H2H Records: (*Only Players in current squad)
1. SCO-W vs IRE-W on 14.08.2019.
SCO-W- 126/7.
Sarah Bryce: 49. Katie Mcgill:16/1 (3)
Samantha Haggo:18.
IRE-W- 130/1.
Gaby Lewis: 65. Lara Maritz: 4/3 (3)
Laura Delany: 18/1 (3)
2. SCO-W vs IRE-W on 10.08.2019.
SCO-W- 105/6.
Lorna Jack: 32. Katherine Fraser: 12/1 (4)
Priyanaz Chatterji:20. Katie Mcgill: 18/1 (3)
Priyanaz Chatterji: 16/1 (2)
IRE-W- 94/7.
Gaby Lewis: 14. Lara Maritz: 14/2 (3)
Laura Delany: 24. Laura Delany: 19/1 (4)
3. SCO-W vs IRE-W on 08.07.2018.
SCO-W- 98/2.
Sarah Bryce: 49. Kathryn Bryce:24/1 (4)
Kathryn Bryce:12.
IRE-W- 99/1.
Gaby Lewis: 8*. Laura Delany: 13/1 (4)
Common Players: Sarah Bryce, Kathryn Bryce, Katie McGill, Priyanaz Chatterji, Gaby Lewis, Laura Delany, Lara Maritz. (These will be my core players).
Probable Playing Xi:
Ireland Women
Gaby Lewis, Rachel Delaney, Rebecca Stokell, Laura Delany (C)(Wk), Shauna Kavanagh, Amy Hunter, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Celeste Raack, Georgina Dempsey, Lara Maritz.
Scotland Women
Sarah Bryce (Wk), Lorna Jack, Kathryn Bryce (C), Becky Glen, Ikra Farooq, Priyanaz Chatterji, Ellen Watson, Samantha Haggo, Katie McGill, Abtaha Maqsood, Katherine Fraser.
Players to watch out for:
IRE-W:
Laura Delany: Ireland’s skipper Laura Delany has played 61 T20Is and has scored 597 runs at an average of 17.05. She also has scalped 33 wickets at an economy of 6.35. She is a must pick.
Gaby Lewis: The experienced Gaby Lewis too is an important pick. She has scored 670 runs in 38 T20I matches at an average of 20.3.
Lara Maritz: Although placed in the bowling section. She can also bat and is coming from a decent outing in Super 50 Cup. Her H2H records too make her an obvious choice.
SCO-W:
Kathryn Bryce: Perhaps the most MVP of the series, the young all-rounder has represented Scotland in 14 T20Is and has notched 400 runs at an average of 50, while with the ball, she has scalped 15 wickets at an impressive economy of 3.27.
Abtaha Maqsood: She is Scotland’s leading wicket taker in this format and has scalped 19 wickets at an average of 10.84. Her best bowling figure is 8/3.
Sarah Bryce: The wicketkeeper batswoman has scored 106 runs in the 3 innings she has played against Ireland. She is the designated opener and her wicketkeeping skills would be an added advantage.
My fantasy playing Xi:
Wk: Sarah Bryce.
Batsmen: Gaby Lewis, Rachel Delaney, Lorna Jack.
Allrounders: Kathryn Bryce, Laura Delany, Leah Paul, Priyanaz Chatterji.
Bowlers: Lara Maritz, Abtaha Maqsood, Katherine Fraser.
Other picks: Orla Prendergast, Samantha Haggo, Rebecca Stokell, Shauna Kavanagh.
Safe C/Vc: Kathryn Bryce, Laura Delany, Sarah Bryce.
Differential: Lara Maritz, Gaby Lewis, Rachel Delaney.
Risky: Priyanaz Chatterji, Lorna Jack.
GL Tip: Kathryn Bryce and Laura Delany are the obvious choices and rightly so. However, you can pick one of them as Capatain and club them with a risky or differential pick.
Pick players from the top order of both teams and focus more on the bowlers and the all-rounders who regularly bat and bowl.
(Disclaimer: You can do your own research and go through the H2H records, ground records before finalising the team. Also keep an eye on the weather as a rain curtailed match will have a separate strategy.)