Superb England crush Ireland with record ODI chase

First ODI, Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicester

Ireland 281-5 (50 overs): Lewis 69 (89), Hunter 62 (90), Stokell 54* (48)

England 283-4 (38.1 overs): Bouchier 104 (95), Dunkley 73 (61); Murray 3-58

England won by six wickets; lead series 1-0

England's new era started with a dominant six-wicket win over Ireland as they cruised to their record chase of 282 in the first one-day international.

Opener Maia Bouchier struck a stunning 104 off 95 balls to secure England's highest chase in women's ODIs with 11.5 overs to spare.

Bouchier added 143 for the first wicket with Sophia Dunkley, who made 73, which laid the perfect platform before the centurion holed out to long-on with just 59 runs needed.

Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp made light work of those remaining runs with a quickfire stand of 54 off 38 balls to put England within touching distance, Capsey hitting the winning boundary to finish unbeaten on 41.

Ireland were poor with the ball and sloppy in the field, but nevertheless it was a brilliant start for England's transitional batting line-up, which is without the recently retired Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, and in the absence of injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Despite their struggles in the field, Ireland earlier impressed with the bat to post 281-5, with half-centuries for captain Gaby Lewis, Amy Hunter and Rebecca Stokell.

Lewis and Hunter added 136 for the second wicket before Stokell's counter-attacking knock of 54 not out from 48 balls provided a late boost, as England's bowlers lacked threat in the middle overs, without Lauren Bell and Sophie Ecclestone, who are being rested.

It looked a competitive total at the halfway mark, but on a flat pitch offering little assistance for the bowlers, the gulf in class and experience was stark in the second innings.

The three-match series continues at Derby on Thursday.

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Ireland women in England 2026

Bouchier and Dunkley's statement innings

Both Bouchier and Dunkley are familiar faces in England shirts, but neither has really nailed down a place in the ODI XI despite plenty of opportunities.

But with the retirements of Beaumont and Knight, two of England's finest, head coach Charlotte Edwards is building towards next summer's Ashes with places up for grabs in the top order.

Edwards and the batters know tougher tests will come - only Orla Prendergast in Ireland's line-up offers a similar threat to the world's best bowlers - but both Dunkley and Bouchier made their cases at the first time of asking.

Bouchier started watchfully, making just eight off her first 19 balls, before a flurry of boundaries off medium-pacer Jane Maguire in the sixth over kickstarted her knock.

England reached 72-0 in the powerplay, with Bouchier playing second fiddle to Dunkley, who was brutal against Ireland's wilting bowling attack in a 47-ball fifty - her fastest in ODIs.

Dunkley was caught and bowled off Cara Murray in the 20th over but Bouchier held her nerve. She took ownership as Jodi Grewcock, the new face in England's line-up, looked nervous for her nine before finding the perfect company from Capsey's proactive approach.

Bouchier looked disappointed when she was caught at long-on after a lapse of concentration, but Kemp and Capsey ensured her efforts were not wasted - the former whacked 36 off 22 to show the power of England's rapidly-improving depth, with five batters missing from the team that started the 50-over World Cup semi-final last year.

Ireland batters impress despite defeat

Though there are concerns for Ireland's bowling as the series continues, it was a promising start to the series for their batters as England's own bowling attack looked unthreatening without the class and experience of Bell and Ecclestone.

Wong struck early to dismiss Alice Tector for 11 with assistance from a fine one-handed catch from Capsey, who is deputising for Amy Jones as wicketkeeper and showed promised with the gloves. But overall Wong was too inconsistent, bowling five wides in her spell.

Stand-in skipper Charlie Dean held things together with 2-44 but it was a tough outing for young left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman, who bowled seven wicketless overs for 53 as the pitch offered little.

Ireland are heavily reliant on Lewis and all-rounder Prendergast, and when the latter fell for 19 after Lewis' knock of 69, there was a worry that their solid platform would be wasted.