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Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Tammy Beaumont's 150* leads England to massive win over Ireland

Tammy Beaumont celebrates reaching 150 PA Images via Getty Images

England 320 for 8 (Beaumont 150*, Kemp 65) beat Ireland 45 (Cross 3-8, Filer 3-10) by 275 runs

Tammy Beaumont's 150 not out delivered a massive 275-run victory for England Women - their biggest winning margin in ODIs - and an unassailable 2-0 lead in their series with Ireland.

Beaumont faced just 139 balls for her innings, which included 16 fours and a six as the visitors romped home with 33.1 overs to spare at Stormont.

Captain Kate Cross, who returned career-best figures with ball and bat in the first game as England won by four wickets, took 3 for 8 from just four overs as Ireland were skittled for 45 in Monday's game, their lowest-ever total in ODIs.

Both players have for some time faced the writing on the wall that England have moved on from them in T20Is and that was confirmed when they were left out of the squad for next month's T20 World Cup in the UAE. As a result, they are the spearheads of a second-string England Women's side touring Ireland for three ODIs in Belfast followed by two T20Is in Dublin as the World Cup squad prepares to depart for a pre-tournament training camp in Abu Dhabi.

Beaumont's 10th ODI century moved her clear of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards at the top of England's list for most hundreds in the format and she is now third on the overall list, behind Meg Lanning (15) and Suzie Bates (13).

Since losing her grip on a spot in England's T20 side - she has played just three T20Is since January 2022, bolstering a team missing its WPL stars in New Zealand earlier this year - Beaumont has scored a competition-best 118 in the Hundred and a double-century in last year's Ashes Test.

She revealed her latest performance came despite suffering mid-innings back spasms but, despite another defiant display, it wasn't about proving anyone wrong.

"That's probably something about my character," Beaumont said. "Since I was about four I got told I couldn't do a lot of things and I've proved a lot of people wrong so I think it's always been the way.

"But I think for me now, I've got nothing left to prove in my game. I'm playing for me and playing for England and playing for my team-mates. I've broken a few records and whatever. I don't have to keep proving myself. I just have to keep playing and enjoying it."

Nor did she harbour any bad feelings about being overlooked for the captaincy on this tour.

"Kate and I are both real experienced payers and she's done a great job so far," Beaumont said. "It was nice to be included in this squad and hopefully mentor some younger players and welcome them into the England club as such. For me it was just about having a real honour of representing the shirt and coming over here and making sure we won the series."

Meanwhile Freya Kemp, who is part of the World Cup squad but was sent to Ireland to find some form after a disappointing Hundred campaign with Southern Brave, did just that, contributing 65 to a century stand with Beaumont for the fourth wicket.

The 19-year-old Kemp struck two sixes in her 47-ball knock, her highest score in 23 appearances across white-ball formats for England. Then, having only recently returned to bowling from a lengthy back problem, took 2 for 7 from her three overs.

Quick Lauren Filer, who was overlooked for the T20 World Cup, took 3 for 10 while debutant Georgia Davis closed out Ireland's hapless innings with her second wicket as she returned figures of 2 for 19 off 3.5 overs with her offspin.

IRE Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1U Raymond-HoeyGH Lewis
2nd2U Raymond-HoeyA Hunter
3rd4U Raymond-HoeyO Prendergast
4th1U Raymond-HoeyL Paul
5th16U Raymond-HoeyR Stokell
6th0AN KellyU Raymond-Hoey
7th11U Raymond-HoeyA Tector
8th0U Raymond-HoeyJ Maguire
9th8FA SargentJ Maguire
10th2FA SargentAK Maguire