Jemimah's First Century Powers India to ODI Series Victory against Ireland

Chandigarh: After making her India debut in 2018, Jemimah Rodrigues achieved a major milestone by scoring her first international century in nearly seven years. Her brilliant innings of 102 runs off 91 balls played a crucial role in India's convincing 116-run victory over Ireland in the second ODI of the three-match series in Rajkot on Sunday. Led by Smriti Mandhana, Team India now holds an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Rodrigues’ hundred came in the last over of the India innings after they had chosen to bat, with a boundary off seamer Arlene Kelly. Rodrigues celebrated the feat in typical style, the 24-year-old taking off her helmet and pretending to strum her bat like a guitar. However, she played on the next delivery as she moved across the stumps and tried to hit through the leg side.

India posted 370/5, their highest ODI total. Their previous highest was 358/2, also against Ireland in 2017, and 358/5 against West Indies in December. The mammoth total was also made possible by India’s top three batters – skipper Smriti Mandhana’s 53-ball 73, fellow opener Pratika Rawal’s 61-ball 67 and Harleen Deol’s 84-ball 89. Ireland bowlers looked hapless in their bid to stop the Indian batters from going berserk.

In reply, Ireland were restricted to 254/7 in 50 overs. No.3 Christina Coulter Reilly, the Ireland wicketkeeper, top-scored with 80 after completing her maiden fifty.

“It has been a long wait to get this hundred. I am glad that the team gave me a role at No.4 and I could deliver,” Rodrigues said. “Today, the important thing for me was to be in the middle till the 50th over. Having Harleen there, initially we took time to assess the conditions. I know I can accelerate but while I took time, Harleen spoke to me to keep believing.”

Jemimah raised a 183-run partnership with Deol for the third wicket. It meant India did not miss their regular No.4, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. “I am relieved to score a hundred. I am used to scoring hundreds in domestic cricket, so it was bothering me. Sometimes you get a lot of overs, sometimes you don’t. I had to get back to how I used to play in my U-19s, because I have played a lot of T20s. The (usual) No.5 position is like T20 sometimes, and sometimes it is longer. That phase is long, and I am happy I was patient today.”

Deol missed the chance to hit her second ODI century after she was caught at cover. But she and her good friend Rodrigues had sent the Irish bowlers on a leather hunt and taken India past the 350-run mark before helping achieve India’s highest ODI total.

In the absence of Kaur, middle-order batters Rodrigues and Tejal Hasabnis have come good against Ireland.

Ireland finished with their second-highest total while chasing in ODIs. Crossing the 250-run mark against India meant the Ireland batters enjoyed batting on the Rajkot strip. Ireland’s Laura Delany (37) played attacking cricket and then Leah Paul (27*) also chipped in.

Coming into this tour, Ireland’s best ODI score against India was just 170.

For India, off-spinner Deepti Sharma was the star, scalping three wickets while leg-spinner Priya Mishra took two wickets.

Brief scores: India 370/5 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 73, Pritaka Rawal 67, Harleen Deol 89, Jemimah Rodrigues 102, Orla Prendergast 2/75); Ireland 254/7 in 50 overs (Christina Coulter Reilly 80, Deepti Sharma 3/37). India won by 116 runs.

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