Ireland: Clare Shillington hits run landmark

Mithali Raj’s half-century innings proved decive during the first meeting between the nations in the T20I format.

Shillington scored 23, 10 behind the team’s top scorer Isobel Joyce, with a run tally which pushed her beyond 1,000 for the first time in Ireland’s T20I history.

Joyce believes Ireland need to be exposed to top-level competition on a more regular basis following three defeats in as many matches.

Australia, Pakistan and India have all coasted past the Irish, who will almost certainly collect the Group B wooden spoon even if they end their campaign by overcoming New Zealand tonight in Guyana.

Joyce was one of only two Ireland batters to reach double figures against India and admitted that the past few days have been a chastening experience. She has called for more fixtures against the elite women’s teams.

The 35-year-old said on the International Cricket Council website: “It’s a very tough learning curve.

“I don’t think the occasion gets to us, but this is just another day for the Indian girls. It’s a huge occasion for us.

“That’s not where we want to be. We want to be a team that are used to playing these kinds of games day in, day out.

“If you look at the players like the top Indians, they play against top bowlers all the time.

“They have a plan against all the tough bowlers, because they’ve played them a number of times each year.

“That’s the first time I’ve played against any of those bowlers in a couple of years.

“I’m trying to think on my feet, and suddenly it’s four or five balls into a spell and a new bowler comes on.

“That’s where the difficulty lies. It’s not the nerves.”