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Alana Dalzell hit a four off the final ball to give Ireland their first ODI victory over England since 2001 in a dramatic finish to the rain-hit third one-day international in Belfast.
Three wickets fell in the final over as Mady Villiers looked to have done enough to turn the game back in England’s favour, only for Dalzell to take full advantage of a misfield from Hollie Armitage and win it off the final delivery.
The match had been reduced to 22 overs per side after four-and-a-half hours were lost to rain, and England were then bowled out for 153 – despite 52 off 42 balls from Tammy Beaumont – as Aimee Maguire claimed five for 19 for Ireland.
Gaby Lewis led the Irish charge as they chased down their target, but the game first swung back in England’s favour in the 19th over when she edged behind off Lauren Filer to fall for 72 from 56 deliveries.
That was the first of two wickets in the over as Ireland slipped to 138 for four and England found some late momentum.
The game remained on a knife-edge as Ireland continued to edge towards their target, but they started the final over needing eight.
After Rebecca Stokell took a single off Villiers’ first ball, Una Raymond-Hoey scored two off the next, only to be run out from the next delivery.
Villiers then bowled both Alice Tector and Jane Maguire for ducks as England sensed victory, only for Dalzell to come in and hit the lone delivery she faced to the ropes, with Armitage running past the ball, perhaps hampered by the low sun late in the day.
England had already taken victory in the three-match series, but this was more than a mere consolation win for Ireland after a more than two-decade wait.
