Tammy Beaumont created a new record on Monday at Stormont in a dazzling display of one-day cricket with an unbeaten 150, guiding England to a thumping 275-run victory over Ireland in the second ODI.
Absent from England’s T20 World Cup squad and, in a curious call, the captaincy on this tour to Ireland, Beaumont can still boast claims as one of the finest in one-day internationals. This innings was a masterclass in batting, taking her to ten ODI centuries, clear of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards, who have nine apiece.
Beaumont’s 150 was not a personal landmark but also showed all and sundry that she is still skilled and determined. This score was not as high as her earlier high of 168 not out against Pakistan in 2016 but is among the top four individual scores for England throughout their ODI history.
Beaumont reflected on her career and said, “Since I was about four, I’ve been told I can’t do a lot of things, and I’ve proved a lot of people wrong. I’ve got nothing left to prove-I’m playing for me, and playing for my teammates. I’ve broken a few records, but I don’t have to keep proving myself, I just have to keep playing and enjoying it.
Unlike the first ODI where England fought hard to win by four wickets, this game was one-sided. Beaumont’s innings helped England set up a stiff target of 321 runs. The Ireland team was under severe pressure from the beginning and, in reply, could succeed in running up only 45 runs, which is their lowest total in women’s ODIs. This win seals England’s automatic qualification for the 2025 World Cup.
Ireland’s disastrous start saw their top three batsmen fall inside the first nine balls of Kate Cross’s spell. Cross, penetrating seam movement a delight to watch, had Gaby Lewis caught and trapped Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast lbw. The other end, Lauren Filer capitalised on a Test-match field, including three slips and a gully, to shatter Ireland’s middle order as she took three key scalps.
The debutant for England, Georgia Davis, made the most of this as she came on to bowl after the powerplay. By that time, Ireland had slumped to 24 for six. Off-spinner Davis then quickly accounted for Alice Tector and wrapped up the innings by having Freya Sargent lbw in the 17th over.
Beaumont’s innings combined much grit with adjustment. She lost her opening partner, Emma Lamb early in the innings, but Beaumont anchored things really well. The wickets kept falling around her at reasonably regular intervals, but never once did Beaumont let her cool be ruffled to guide England to a respectable 115 for three in 25 overs. “Every time I felt I was ready to go, we lost a wicket,” Beaumont said.
As the innings wore on, Beaumont shared a telling partnership with Freya Kemp worth 101. Kemp was fortunate to avoid a mix-up with Beaumont which might have seen her run out without scoring. She punished Ireland’s succession of short-pitched deliveries, scoring a rapid maiden ODI fifty in just 37 balls. Kemp, who did not bowl in the first ODI, also chipped in with the ball to take two wickets for seven runs in three overs.
Although a set Kemp was dismissed for a well-compiled 50, there was no let-up in the Beaumont barrage. Having reached her century off 117 balls, she accelerated further, helping to collect another 50 runs off just 22 balls. England’s eventual total of 320 for eight proved well beyond Ireland’s reach as any distant hopes of a backdoor revival were shut out.
A real beauty of an innings from Beaumont had marked her out as one of the best batswomen in the game and just how strong England are in this format.