KATHYRN, KATHERINE & KIRSTIE ensure first WC win for SCOTLAND

ICC 10th WOMEN's WORLD CUP - Match 2 - Ireland vs Scotland at Manchester on 13th June 2026. 

Result - Scotland beat Ireland by 40 runs

Points - Scotland 2(2), Ireland 0(0)

Toss - Ireland

Umpires - Candace La Borde, Shathira Jakir, Nimali Perera (TV)

Player of the Match - Kathyrn Bryce

Match Centre Link - You can view the scorecard, watch highlights and engage more at Match Centre of ICC. The match can be accessed here. 

SCOTLAND INNINGS

POWER PLAY - WINDS AND WICKETS
The 2nd match of the 10th Womens T20 World Cup started at Old Trafford, Manchester to find a new winner. Ireland in their 18th WC game and Scotland in their 5th WC game were searching for a win. Winds of change and first points are due for any one team. It was indeed windy conditions and Ireland invited Scotland to bat after winning the toss. Darcey Carter and Katherine Fraser started with uncertainity amidst strong winds and sincere bowling. Both got a four each and survived some anxious moments as Ireland piled up 28/0 in 4 overs. Ava Canning drew first blood as she had Katherine mistime one over deep mid wicket where Alice Tector took a well judged catch. In the next over Aimee Maguire aimed one at Darcey's legs and yorked her stumps. At 37/2 in 6 overs, the game looked evenly poised. 

MIDDLE OVERS - THE SISTERS SPECIAL
It is always a happy feeling to see blood relations play a game together. The Bryce Sisters, Kathyrn Bryce and Sarah Bryce were in the middle as Scotland were to get through their middle overs. The sisters took full control and added 105 runs in 10 overs. With a boundary once in two overs, they were able to score more than a run an over and both paced their innings beautifully. At half way mark, Scotland were 71/2 and the sisters went haywire from there. Sarah clobbered 20 runs of 11th over bowled by Cara Murray. Kathyrn joined the fun in the 12th over bowled by Aimee went for 16 runs. For a good time between 13th & 16th overs, the sisters were having the same balls faced and small difference in the runs. In the race towards 50, Sarah seemed leading but Kathyrn beat her younger sister as she brought her 50 in 32 in 15.2. After 16 overs Scotland were sailing ahead at 142/2 with Kathyrn at 54(33) & Sarah at 49(34)

DEATH OVERS - IRELAND FIGHT THEIR WAY BACK
As people were waiting to celebrate Sarah's 50 in the first ball of 17th over, Arlene Kelly snared one quickly and forced Sarah to nick it to the gloves of Amy Hunter. Ireland kept the batters quiet in the 17th & 18th overs even as Ailsa Lister was dropped by Alice who had earlier taken a brilliant catch in the same position. Ava Canning bowled a brilliant penultimate over just conceding 2 runs & grabbing 2 wickets. She disturbed Aisla's stumps with a slower one in the 2nd ball and had Kathyrn edge one straight to the point. Orla Prendergast continued the good work in the last over giving away just 5 runs as Scotland finished at 161/5 adding just 19 runs and losing 3 wickets in the deatth overs. Ireland had fought their way back to the game. 

IRELAND INNINGS

POWER PLAY - DOTS AND SHOTS
Kathyrn Bryce opened the bowling for scotland as Amy Hunter took strike with Alana Dalzell at the other end. Ireland started in the right earnest with a single, two and a boundary. Kathyrn delivered a couple of dot balls and then pulled a stunner return catch of the last ball to dismiss Alana. Amy & Gaby Lewis were kept guessing as Scotland just gave 5 runs in the next 2 overs combined. With both batters at 3 each after 3 overs and the score at 10/1, Gabriella Fontenla gifted 15 runs in the 4th over with both the batters playing a glorious shot to the boundary. However Rachel Slater and Kirstie Gordon didnt allow them to ride the momentum and with only 6 runs in the next 2 overs, Ireland were 31/1 after the power play. The 18 dot balls bowled by Scotland in the power play seemed to have the upper hand over the 4 boundaries hit by Ireland. 

MIDDLE OVERS - OF SPIN & SPIRIT
After Kathyrn's military medium ensured another below a run a ball over, Katherine Fraser's off spin took off in the 8th over. She foxed Gaby Lewis with flight & Sarah stumped in a flash. Orla Prendergast and Amy Jones had a daunting task ahead. Scotland bowlers kept things tight and despite Orla opening her account with a boundary & Amy finding a couple in the 10th over, Ireland seemed struggling at 58/2 at half way mark. 104 from the second half beckoned a special innings and Orla and Amy were capable of it. Katherine's off spin to the fore again as Amy in hunt for some quick runs was hunted by an edge that hit the stumps in 11.4. The very next (13th over), experienced Kirstie Gordon (who has played WC for England) sounded the dead knell for Ireland. She spun a beauty to disturb Rebecca Stokell's stumps in the 3rd ball. She judged quick and fast a return catch to send Leah Paul back to the pavilion in the 5th ball. Alice Tector seemed to be in wonderland as she played the wrong line to offer her stumps in the last ball. Ireland were 70/6 after 13 and looked all but down. The spinners particularly Katherine & Kirstie not only checked the flow of runs but also clicked the fall of wickers. However Arlene Kelly and Orla didnt give up. They batted with intent and kept finding the boundaries They added 26 in the next 3 overs and at 96/6 in 16 (mathematically correct), Ireland demonstrated a spirit to fight back.  

DEATH OVERS - RUN OUT not OUT RUN
Orla Prendergast scored 11 of Rachel's first three balls of the 17th over & suddenly Ireland's tally of 55 from 21 seemed gettable. However disaster struck in 16.4 as Orla trying to snatch a quick second was caught short and run out by Sarah. Arlene met a similar fate in 17.3 except it was the bowler Fraser catching her short in the non striker's end. Fraser finished the last ball of her quota with a simple return catch to dismiss Cara Murray the 3rd Irish batter to be dismissed for a duck. Kathryn Bryce came back to bowl the last over and bowled a fuller one in the first ball. Aimee aimed a pull but the ball found Gabriella who grabbed the ball with joy. Ireland finished at 121/10 in 19.1 falling 40 short of their target. Scotland landed a WC win ahead of Ireland and the 3Ks Kathyrn, Katherine and Kirstie played a pivotal part in this slice of history. 

Images Courtesy - Cricket Scotland