Australia claim series after comfortable win over Ireland

A stylish 71 from Orla Prendergast couldn’t stop world champions Australia from finishing the three-match Certa Women’s ODI Challenge with a 10-wicket win

TOP SCORER: Ireland batter Orla Prendergast plays a shot, watched by Australia wicketkeeper Beth Mooney, during match three of the Certa Women's One Day International Challenge series at Castle Avenue Cricket Ground in Dublin. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

A stylish 71 from Orla Prendergast - on the day her club and national teammate Mary Waldron announced her retirement - couldn’t stop world champions Australia from finishing the three-match Certa Women’s ODI Challenge with a 10-wicket win, taking the series 2-0 in Clontarf.

Stand-in Australian captain Tahlia McGrath won the toss and didn’t hesitate to send Ireland into bat first under overcast skies. In an unusual start to the innings, opener Leah Paul played a hook shot to a short-pitch ball from Darcie Brown only to clip her own stumps with the bat’s backswing.