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[Watch] Kate Cross Turns Hardik Pandya As She Displays Her All-round Brilliance Against Ireland

Kate Cross was brilliant with the ball in the 1st ODI vs Ireland [X]Kate Cross was brilliant with the ball in the 1st ODI vs Ireland [X]

The England Women's Team is touring Ireland for a limited-overs series. The two teams played the first ODI of the series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, Ireland. 

This match turned out to be Kate Cross's game. She displayed excellence with both the bat and the ball and guided England to a four-wicket win. 

Orla Prendergast fought the battle for Ireland

Winning the toss, Ireland chose to bat first. Orla Prendergast led the team's batting with a resilient knock of 76 runs from 87 deliveries. Amy Hunter and Leah Paul joined her in guiding the team's total to a fighting 210, before they were bundled out in the 47th over. 

Kate Cross was unstoppable with the ball

Despite a resilient effort by the middle-order, the Irish team could not reach a formidable total because of the brilliant effort by the veteran English all-rounder Kate Cross. In her spell of 9.5 overs, Cross picked up six wickets, conceding only 30 runs. Besides making light work of the lower order, Cross also picked up the important wicket of Orla Prendergast. 

Kate Cross and Bess Heath too England to the win

In reply to Ireland's total, the English team did not have the best of starts as they lost their openers early in the innings. The middle order of the team, comprising Hollie Armitage, Paige Shcolfield, Freya Kemp, and Bess Heath, kept the English team in the hunt. But the home team kept on picking up wickets at regular intervals to keep the match interesting. 

It took a calm and composed effort from Kate Cross to take England home. Cross scored 38 runs off 36 deliveries and stitched a 55-run partnership with Bess Heath to ensure England won the match by four wickets with more than 15 overs remaining in the game. 

The two teams are set to face each other again in the second ODI of the series on September 9 at 3:15 PM IST. The anticipation and excitement for this match are palpable.

Hardik Pandya's all-round exploits for India

The performance by Kate Cross reminded viewers of the Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Pandya has often turned up under pressure situations and delivered match-winning performances with both the bat and the ball for India. His latest exploit for the national team was in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, where he bowled a vital spell in the death phase of the South African innings, tilting the game in India's favour.