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England sealed victory in their one-day international series against Ireland with a straightforward six-wicket win at Derby on Thursday, after seamer Issy Wong took a career-best five for 33.

Wong, once again handed the new ball in the absence of Lauren Bell, bowled with accuracy and control to knock over Ireland captain Gaby Lewis’s leg stump, then ran rampant through the lower-middle order as they tried to hit out but instead were bowled out for 165.

It was in marked contrast with Wong’s performance in the first ODI, when she sent down four consecutive wides in her opening spell, and sparked hopes she may be recovering some of the mojo she lost when originally discarded by England three summers ago.

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Charlie Dean's reaction

To win the game like that was phenomenal. We were more clinical in the field and with the ball, then to chase it down as we did was brilliant.

Wongy’s had a fantastic game. That wobble ball at the top of the stumps is so effective for her. She was very impressive today.

If we can replicate this performance [at Worcester on Sunday] that would be awesome. We’re really pleased to rack up a series win, and to go 3-0 would be great.

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Gaby Lewis's reaction

Pretty disappointing. It was a tricky pitch to bat on this morning – Amy Hunter did well to stick in but we struggled to build partnerships and put the pressure on them.

They were a lot more accurate and better in the field. But there are some positives to take and we know we need to keep pushing for consistency.

The player of the match is Issy Wong

[On concentrating on bowling inswingers today] I had a really good chat with our media man, Dean, who helped flip my mindset. It paid off, so thanks Dean!

It’s about doing what I think the team needs. At the moment that’s trying to hit the stumps as often as possible, and using my wobble seam to give myself the best chance of that.

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England lead 2-0 with one match to play

It was a routine runchase for England, despite a peedie wobble towards the end of the Powerplay. The player of the match will surely be Issy Wong: she took 5 for 33, her first five-for at this level, to help roll Ireland for 165. It was a lovely moment for Wong, who has already through so much in her career. She’s still only 24, so let’s hope this is the start of something.

England win by six wickets with 162 balls to spare

23rd over: England 166-4 (Kemp 29, Gibson 36) Beautiful batting from Gibson, who skips down to chip Murray down the ground for six.

There are no guarantees in international sport, but in 10 years’ time we might view Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson as one of the great England partnerships. They bat so well together, and I could go on but Gibson has just launched another six to finish the match.

She ends on 36 not out from 22 balls, Kemp 29 from 32. England have cruised to victory with a whopping 27 overs to spare; they take a decisive 2-0 lead in the series with one match to play.

22nd over: England 153-4 (Kemp 28, Gibson 24) A long hop from the offspinner McCartney is carted over mid-on for four by Gibson. That ball was asking – nay, begging – to be punished.

England are nearly home; they need 13 more.

21st over: England 143-4 (Kemp 27, Gibson 15) Gibson launches Murray back over her head for a one-bounce four. It wasn’t perfectly struck but she got more than enough on it.

This series victory, though expected, will make England’s Statsgury look a bit better. They’ve won only one of the last four ODI series, having triumphed in eight in a row before that.

20th over: England 138-4 (Kemp 27, Gibson 10) Kemp jumps across to Maguire, misses a flick to leg and is almost bowled round her legs. She thinks it should have been a wide but the umpire disagrees.

19th over: England 132-4 (Kemp 26, Gibson 6) Murray lets slip a full toss that is pummelled for four by Gibson. These two love batting together in T20 internationals and, though this is their first partnership in this format, they are going to be a key part of Charlotte Edwards’ ODI team as they build towards the Ashes and then the 2029 World Cup.

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18th over: England 124-4 (Kemp 23, Gibson 1) Back comes Jane Maguire, who started well with the new ball before taking some punishment from Maia Bouchier. Kemp shows there’s more to her game than power by glancing deftly for three.

England need 42 to win.

17th over: England 119-4 (Kemp 19, Gibson 0) A gorgeous googly from Murray almost gets through the new batter Dani Gibson, who scrambles to keep it out. Murray has bowled better than figures of 3-0-18-1 might suggest.

WICKET! England 119-4 (Grewcock c Lewis b Murray 24)

A frustrating end for Jodi Grewcock, who drags the legspinner Murray straight to midwicket and misses out on the chance of some red ink. She played well but that was another avoidable dismissal.

16th over: England 118-3 (Grewcock 24, Kemp 18) An errant delivery from McCartney to Grewcock runs down the leg side for five wides. After a bit of a wobble, England are back in control of the runchase.

15th over: England 107-3 (Grewcock 21, Kemp 17) Talking of boundary-hitters, Kemp drives Murray over mid-off for a big six. She has an apparently effortless power – which she demonstrates again with a thump down the ground for a one-bounce four. The ball has to retrieved from inside the sightscreen.

Some good running makes it 15 from the over.

14th over: England 92-3 (Grewcock 21, Kemp 2) Jodi Grewcock is working the ball around skilfully and has moved to 21 from 23 balls with only one four. England have plenty of boundary-hitters so there’s a clear vacancy for somebody with a low dot-ball ratio.

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13th over: England 87-3 (Grewcock 17, Kemp 1) On comes the legspinner Cara Murray. Another quick wicket would give Ireland a sniff of a famous victory – and it almost comes when Kemp toe-ends a short ball just short of mid-on.

Twenty minutes ago this looked like a mismatch; now things are getting interesting.

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12th over: England 85-3 (Grewcock 16, Kemp 0) Freya Kemp is the new batter.

WICKET! England 85-3 (Capsey LBW b McCartney 1)

Good luck playing that. Alice Capsey is plumb LBW to a perfectly pitched offbreak from McCartney that would have troubled her even if it hadn’t kept horribly low. McCartney has her second wicket.

11th over: England 84-2 (Grewcock 15, Capsey 1) There have been a few misfields from Ireland, not helped by a slightly bumpy outfield at Derbados. That’s making it even harder for them to put the squeeze on England.

10th over: England 79-2 (Grewcock 11, Capsey 0) That was the last ball of the Powerplay, a very good one for England despite those two untidy dismissals.

WICKET! England 79-2 (Bouchier c Maguire b McCartney 45)

Maia Bouchier can’t believe her luck. She jumped all over a horrible delivery from McCartney, short outside leg stump, but somehow whirled it straight to short fine leg. Bouchier played some lovely strokes in her 45 from 31 balls, but right now she probably feels like she’s missed out another hundred.

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9th over: England 71-1 (Bouchier 42, Grewcock 6) Jodi Grewcock threads the new bowler Georgina Dempsey through extra cover for four. Prendergast caught up with the ball just inside the boundary but then slipped into the toblerone while still touching the ball. England are cruising: they need 95 from 41 overs.

In the County Championship, Sussex’s Henry Crocombe has taken a hat-trick against Essex – the great Tanya Aldred has more.

8th over: England 63-1 (Bouchier 39, Grewcock 1) Bouchier threw her head back in frustration when the wicket fell, knowing she was culpable. She starts to make amends by scrunching McCartney for back-to-back boundaries through extra cover and down the ground.

The second boundary was technically a chance to McCartney – but it came at ankle height, to her left, and she couldn’t get a hand on it.

WICKET! England 54-1 (Dunkley run out 20)

File under Complete Horlicks. When the offspiner Kia McCartney comes into the attack, Bouchier tries to steal a single to Prendergast in the covers. She’s had better ideas. Prendergast whistles a throw to the keeper Amy Hunter with Dunkley barely in the frame.

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7th over: England 53-0 (Bouchier 31, Dunkley 20) Wow, what a shot from Dunkley. She gets down on one knee to launch Prendergast over mid-off for the first six of the game. A cover drive for four brings up the England fifty.

6th over: England 43-0 (Bouchier 31, Dunkley 10) Lovely batting from Bouchier, who hits Maguire for four fours in the over. A pull and a cut were followed by a majestic drive over mid-on and finally a biff through extra cover that should have been stopped but wasn’t.

5th over: England 27-0 (Bouchier 15, Dunkley 10) Four more to Bouchier, timed sweetly through square leg when Prendergast overpitches. At her best – and she isn’t a million miles from it right now – Bouchier is such an elegant batter.

4th over: England 21-0 (Bouchier 10, Dunkley 9) Bouchier inside-edges Maguire past the stumps for four. Ireland are targetting the stumps, just as Issy Wong did, and England’s openers have played a few awkward defensive strokes.

They have also punished the rare bad balls. When Maguire errs in line and length, Bouchier threads her skilfully past backward point for four more.

3rd over: England 12-0 (Bouchier 2, Dunkley 8) An otherwise decent over from Prendergast is ruined when Dunkley belabours a short ball to the cover boundary.

2nd over: England 6-0 (Bouchier 1, Dunkley 3) A fine first over from Jane Maguire, bowling full and straight with a hint – perhaps even a soupçon – of outswing. Dunkley forces a couple behind square, then tries to manufacture a cut stroke and is beaten.

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1st over: England 4-0 (Bouchier 1, Dunkley 1) Prendergast starts the innings with consecutive wides. That aside it’s a good first over, including a nipbacker that Dunkley mistimes into the leg side.

The players are back on the field, and Orla Prendergast has the ball in hand.

Thanks Taha, afternoon everyone. Give me two minutes to grab a doubleshort, low-fat, no-foam latter and I’ll be with you for the runchase.

And that’ll be all from me. This looks a straightforward chase for England … but let’s hope Rob Smyth gets some genuine drama.

Ireland all out for 165

Corteen-Coleman wraps it up and Wong leads England off. It’s been a very solid bowling display, and Ireland have lost their last six wickets for 25 runs.

WICKET! McCartney b Corteen-Coleman 1 (Ireland 165 all out)

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WICKET! Maguire c&b Corteen-Coleman 1 (Ireland 163-9)

The left-arm spinner tosses it up and Maguire offers a simple return grab. TCC gets herself on the board.

46th over: Ireland 163-8 (Dempsey 0, Maguire 1) Wong sends in a yorker but Dempsey just about gets her bat under it. The quick closes with five for 33 from her 10 overs, including 41 dots – top work.

Five wickets for Issy Wong!

WICKET! Hunter c Villiers b Wong 64 (Ireland 163-8) Wong runs in for her final over, chasing a five-wicket haul. Hunter pummels the first ball down the ground for four, but finds deep midwicket with the second! The impressive Hunter departs.

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45th over: Ireland 159-7 (Hunter 60, Maguire 1) Hunter hasn’t had enough of the strike in this innings, and she’s restricted to just two deliveries against Corteen-Coleman.

44th over: Ireland 156-7 (Hunter 58, Maguire 0) Wong’s method has been straightforward: just bowl at the stumps. Her execution has been excellent.

WICKET! Murray c Grewcock b Wong 9 (Ireland 156-7)

Wong has four – Murray tries to go over the top but can’t beat mid-off. The quick has her best figures for England.

43rd over: Ireland 153-6 (Hunter 57, Murray 7) Hunter sees the flight from Corteen-Coleman and runs down … but the connection is far from sweet. It evades the fielder but only produces a single.

42nd over: Ireland 150-6 (Hunter 55, Murray 6) Wong is on the way to her best figures in international cricket, though they’re hurt a little by Murray squeezing the ball behind point for four.

41st over: Ireland 144-6 (Hunter 54, Murray 1) It’s a pointless leg-before review from England after Corteen-Coleman tosses the ball up against Cara Murray. It’s pitching outside leg stump. Murray is struggling against Corteen-Coleman’s flight, though she nabs a single to keep the strike.

WICKET! Little c Grewcock b Wong 2 (Ireland 142-6)

Capsey puts another down. Wong, so accurate, gets a little outside-edge off Little and the keeper, up to the stumps, can’t hold on. But it doesn’t change much because Little goes moments later, failing to clear mid-off after five dots.

40th over: Ireland 142-6 (Hunter 53, Murray 0)

39th over: Ireland 142-5 (Hunter 53, Little 2) Corteen-Coleman very nearly skids the ball through Little, who gets a healthy inside-edge.

38th over: Ireland 141-5 (Hunter 53, Little 1) Louise Little joins Amy Hunter.

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WICKET! Paul b Wong 23 (Ireland 140-5)

Wong, who bowled a really solid new-ball spell, returns and breaks the stand! Again, it’s all about her stump-to-stump line – Paul hacks across the line and inside-edges on to the poles.

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37th over: Ireland 137-4 (Hunter 51, Paul 22) Hunter and Paul reach their 50 partnership off 76 deliveries. And the milestone prompts Paul to get funky: the left-hander becomes a righty as she swats Villiers past short third for four.

Half-century for Amy Hunter!

36th over: Ireland 131-4 (Hunter 50, Paul 17) Hunter nudges into the leg-side and gets to raise her bat for a half-century, her 11th in ODIs. She’s just 20!

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35th over: Ireland 129-4 (Hunter 49, Paul 16) Villiers returns. “That’s lovely, that,” says Capsey behind the stumps as Villiers tosses the ball up to Paul. Hunter sweeps for one before pulling for … one. It could’ve ended up a two after a misfield in the deep but Hunter must wait a little longer for her half-century.

34th over: Ireland 124-4 (Hunter 46, Paul 14) This is better from Hunter, who has decided to raise the volume. She skips down the pitch again and, this time, launches MacDonald-Gay over the leg-side for four.

33rd over: Ireland 117-4 (Hunter 40, Paul 13) Dean tweaks away for another quiet over.

32nd over: Ireland 114-4 (Hunter 39, Paul 12) Ryana MacDonald-Gay is back and has a shout for leg-before … but it looks as if it’s going down the leg-side. England decide to review … but it looks a waste. And it is, comfortably missing the stumps. Hunter closes the over with a welcome show of intent, coming down the pitch to drive gracefully through the covers. Cracking stroke.

31st over: Ireland 108-4 (Hunter 34, Paul 11) England aren’t giving Ireland anything loose, but the visitors surely need to risk it and play a few big shots. Hunter drives for a couple and Paul sweeps for two of her own.

30th over: Ireland 101-4 (Hunter 30, Paul 8) Villiers is five overs in and has figures of two for 10.

29th over: Ireland 100-4 (Hunter 29, Paul 8) Ireland reach three figures … but England are in full control.

28th over: Ireland 95-4 (Hunter 28, Paul 7) Villiers nearly has another to close the over, getting an edge off Hunter – but Capsey can’t hold on to a tough chance.

27th over: Ireland 92-4 (Hunter 27, Paul 5) Gibson runs through another quiet one.

26th over: Ireland 89-4 (Hunter 26, Paul 3) Villiers, for the first time today, gets through an over without taking a wicket.

25th over: Ireland 86-4 (Hunter 25, Paul 1) Halfway through the innings and Ireland seem quite stuck. They were building patiently through that Hunter-Prendergast stand – but then came Villiers.

WICKET! Stokell c Gibson b Villiers 3 (Ireland 83-4)

Oh dear. Villiers tosses the ball up and Stokell just chips the ball straight to extra cover. Ireland are in quite a bit of bother now.

24th over: Ireland 83-4 (Hunter 25, Paul 0)

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23rd over: Ireland 80-3 (Hunter 23, Stokell 2) Rebecca Stokell begins with a clip over midwicket for a couple as Gibson continues to nibble away. Hunter, despite coming in at three in the second over, has faced just 41 deliveries.

22nd over: Ireland 77-3 (Hunter 22, Stokell 0) A wicket maiden: some start by Villiers.

WICKET! Prendergast c Kemp b Villiers 25 (Ireland 77-3)

Wow. Mady Villiers is into the attack and immediately finds a handy spot, the ball turning sharply to nearly castle Prendergast … and the off-spinner picks up the breakthrough moments later! Prendergast, presumably tired of singles, slog-sweeps but can’t clear the ropes, finding Freya Kemp instead.

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21st over: Ireland 75-2 (Hunter 22, Prendergast 25) Gibson is stump-to-stump in this binary game, the ones and dots totting up.

20th over: Ireland 72-2 (Hunter 21, Prendergast 23) Dean has a slip in as she continues to play with her pace, closing the over with a delicious delivery that narrowly beats Hunter’s outside edge.

19th over: Ireland 68-2 (Hunter 19, Prendergast 21) Dani Gibson is on to send down her medium pace, and Prendergast welcomes it, clipping through midwicket for the first boundary in ages.

18th over: Ireland 63-2 (Hunter 19, Prendergast 17) Dean manages to get some serious dip on the ball as Hunter and Prendergast settle, once again, for singles.

17th over: Ireland 59-2 (Hunter 18, Prendergast 15) After a churn of singles, Prendergast decides to launch the ball down the ground … but it doesn’t make it to the rope. She has to settle for two against Corteen-Coleman.

16th over: Ireland 54-2 (Hunter 17, Prendergast 11) Dean darts one in at pace, then gives her off-break some decent hang-time. She’s such a wonderful bowler to watch.

15th over: Ireland 52-2 (Hunter 16, Prendergast 10) Prendergast has settled in nicely against England’s spinners, this pair happily knocking it about for ones as they rebuild.

14th over: Ireland 48-2 (Hunter 14, Prendergast 9) Dean goes short but Hunter can’t swivel in time for the big leg-side hit. The off-spinner finds Prendergast’s outside edge, but the ball safely runs away for a couple.

13th over: Ireland 43-2 (Hunter 13, Prendergast 5) Corteen-Coleman loses control with a full toss … but Prendergast, maybe caught a little off-guard, bunts it for one instead of going for the full thwack.

12th over: Ireland 41-2 (Hunter 12, Prendergast 4) Charlie Dean brings herself on – there’s not a lot of turn there, the ball skidding through as Prendergast plays off the back foot.

11th over: Ireland 37-2 (Hunter 9, Prendergast 3) Corteen-Coleman continues, with Hunter and Prendergast running up the singles.

10th over: Ireland 33-2 (Hunter 7, Prendergast 1) The powerplay goes to England.

WICKET! Lewis b Wong 19 (Ireland 32-2)

Lewis has looked in fine touch but Wong’s stump-to-stump line, bowled from wide on the crease, does the trick. Ireland’s captain departs. It’s just reward for a strong new-ball spell.

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9th over: Ireland 32-1 (Hunter 7, Lewis 19) Time for some tweak. Tilly Corteen-Coleman is into the game and Lewis is happy to attack immediately, sweeping for four.

8th over: Ireland 26-1 (Hunter 6, Lewis 14) Capsey stays up to the stumps, denying Lewis the freedom to dance down the pitch. Wong goes full to Hunter, who swings hard across the line – the ball is nowhere near the middle of the bat, but it still flies through midwicket for four.

7th over: Ireland 19-1 (Hunter 1, Lewis 13) MacDonald-Gay has settled into her channel, conceding just the one.

6th over: Ireland 18-1 (Hunter 1, Lewis 12) Wong’s accuracy has been impressive, but Lewis decides to attack, shimmying down the pitch to pull away for four. That prompts Alice Capsey to come up to the stumps and she’s nutmegged by a Wong yorker that gets a little edge. A mix-up between Hunter and Lewis nearly sees the former run-out – Ireland don’t need another one of those.

5th over: Ireland 13-1 (Hunter 1, Lewis 7) MacDonald-Gay is getting a hint of outswing, and Hunter is happy to leave it alone outside off for now.

4th over: Ireland 12-1 (Hunter 1, Lewis 6) Wong gets the ball to nip into Lewis, whose game looks in solid order. She’s averaging over 40 in ODIs since the start of 2025.

3rd over: Ireland 10-1 (Hunter 0, Lewis 5) MacDonald-Gay starts off tight before going too short and too wide: Lewis puts everything into her cut shot, granting her a boundary.

2nd over: Ireland 5-1 (Hunter 0, Lewis 1) Amy Hunter, who hit 62 in the opener, joins her captain.

WICKET! Tector run out Dunkley 3 (Ireland 4-1)

Issy Wong thunders in from the other end, and is very much stump-to-stump to begin with … Tector drives straight and, oh, she’s gone trying to nab a single! Dunkley comes round from mid-off to pick up and throw, and she takes down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. It looks innocuous to begin with but Tector’s behind the line. England have their first.

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1st over: Ireland 4-0 (Tector 3, Lewis 0) MacDonald-Gay quickly finds her line outside off, no nerves on show despite a long absence at this level. Well, just as I type that, she bowls a wide.

Let’s get going. MacDonald-Gay will take the new ball, with Alice Tector on strike.

This’ll be MacDonald-Gay’s first international appearance since … the Ashes Test in February 2025. She’s back after sustaining a lower back injury last year.

If you fancy hanging out with Tanya for a bit:

The teams

Ryana MacDonald-Gay comes in for Lauren Filer, and Ireland make one change, too: Georgina Dempsey replaces Arlene Kelly.

England: Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Jodi Grewcock, Alice Capsey (wk), Freya Kemp, Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean (c), Mady Villiers, Issy Wong, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Tilly Corteen-Coleman

Ireland: Gaby Lewis (c), Alice Tector, Amy Hunter (wk), Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul, Louise Little, Cara Murray, Jane Maguire, Georgina Dempsey, Kia McCartney

England win the toss and choose to bowl first

Charlie Dean’s keen to chase again, while Gaby Lewis says she’s happy to bat first. Everyone’s a winner.

Preamble

Hello, hello, hello and welcome to coverage of the second one-day international between England and Ireland. The opener was a record-breaker in Leicester, with the hosts pulling off their highest ODI chase in reaching 282: Sophia Dunkley gave it a thump with a 61-ball 73 while Maia Bouchier went big with 104 off 95, her third international century. The work was done with 71 (!) balls to spare.

Now to Derby, with this experimental England side – Alice Capsey has the gloves – looking to take the series. We’ll get going at 1pm BST. Drop me a line with your thoughts, queries, whatever’s on your mind.