Experimental England storm to highest ODI chase in win over Ireland

Maia Bouchier scores second ODI hundred as England reach target of 282 with 71 balls to spare to take 1-0 lead in three-match series; home side - who have rested key players including Nat Sciver-Brunt - sloppy with the ball and in the field; second ODI in Derby on Thursday (1pm start)

England breezed to their highest successful ODI chase after an iffy fielding and bowling performance as an experimental side beat Ireland by six wickets in the series opener at Leicester.

Maia Bouchier (104 off 95 balls) and Sopha Dunkley (73 off 61) smoked 143 for the opening wicket inside 20 overs before Bouchier went on to notch her second ODI century as England reached their target of 282 with 71 deliveries to spare.

Freya Kemp (36 off 22) drilled four fours in a row off Arlene Kelly in the 34th over - a feat Bouchier had managed off Jane Maguire towards the start of the chase - as the all-rounder dominated a 54-run partnership from 38 balls with Alice Capsey (41no off 40), after Capsey and Bouchier had combined to add 50 off 47.

England's previous record ODI run chase was the 267-8 they knocked off against Australia in Bristol during the home Ashes in 2023, a game in which Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont posted the two highest scores.

Ireland 281-5 after 50 overs (put in to bat): Gaby Lewis (69 off 89 balls), Amy Hunter (62 off 90), Rebecca Stokell (54no off 48); Charlie Dean (2-44), Issy Wong (2-57)

England 283-4 in 38.1 overs (target 282): Maia Bouchier (104 off 95), Sophia Dunkley (73 off 61), Alice Capsey (41no off 40), Freya Kemp (36 off 22); Cara Murray (3-58), Arlene Kelly (1-38)

With Knight and Beaumont now retired and team stalwarts Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones rested for this three-match assignment, Dunkley and Bouchier played the key roles, albeit aided by some error-strewn stuff from Ireland.

The tourists offered up way too many boundary balls and were also guilty of mis-fields - a blemish on the deep midwicket fence allowed Capsey to pump the winning four - as they slipped 1-0 down in a series that continues in Derby on Thursday (1pm) and then concludes in Worcester on Sunday (10.30am).

England had been sloppy themselves in the Ireland innings, shipping 20 wides and 33 extras in total in the absence of spinner Sophie Ecclestone and seamer Lauren Bell, who, like Sciver-Brunt, Jones and Wyatt-Hodge, have been given these games off.

However, Capsey excelled as she kept wicket with Jones missing, taking a one-handed catch to her right in the fifth over and looking slick with the gloves throughout - if that continues over the next two matches, Jones' place could perhaps be in jeopardy.

Stand-in skipper Charlie Dean (2-44) was the pick of the bowlers, although Issy Wong (2-57) broke the 136-run stand between Ireland captain Gaby Lewis (69) and Amy Hunter (62) for the second wicket when she bowled the former through the gate.

Wong had made a scruffy start around nicking off Lewis' fellow opener Alice Tector (11) - the sister of men's Ireland internationals Harry and Tim Tector - sending down four wides outside off stump in a row in her third over of the game.

Lewis and Hunter, who ran superbly around hitting boundar