Gaby Lewis led the way with a superb 119 from 75 balls at Sydney Parade in Dublin last night as Ireland pipped Sri Lanka by seven runs in a thriller to tie their two-match T20 international series.
Lewis, who top scored with 39 in Sunday’s defeat, kicked on this time striking 17 fours and two sixes to propel the Girls in Green to 173-3 before she was run out attempting an impossible second from the last ball of the innings.
Such was Lewis’s dominance that second-wicket partner Orla Prendergast, who has been in the form of her life, had to settle for second fiddle in a stand of 119.
Prendergast, on her Pembroke club ground, played her role to perfection, though, cleverly rotating the strike and hitting four boundaries of her own before she was caught in the deep for 38 from 31 balls.
All-rounder Prendergast then broke through in her first over and Ava Canning struck a second blow as Sri Lanka were pegged to 35-2 in the six-over powerplay.
Harshitha Samarawickrama, who hit a match-winning 86 not out on Sunday, looked to be heading for another big score when she was bowled for 65 by Jane Maguire.
It was the match defining moment and as wickets continued to fall Ireland held the visitors to 166-7 to record a first victory over Sri Lanka by either the men’s or women’s teams.