Kim Garth the pick of Ireland women scoring in Twenty20 loss to West Indies

Stafanie Taylor’s 75 steered the tourists to 139 for four, before Ireland as a team could only match the total of their opponents’ star performer, all out for the same figure with eight balls remaining.

Kim Garth racked up 46 runs for the hosts but none of her team-mates made it into double figures, while Afy Fletcher led the West Indies bowling attack with figures of four for 14.

“It was a bit of a disappointing day,” said Garth. “We started really well with the ball, which was a big positive for us, but then we fell away a bit.

“We’ve trained a lot and practised on hitting an area, and keeping it simple – T20 is such a dynamic game and for us it about keeping it simple, but we failed to do that at times today and that is where the game got away from us.

“Some very pleasing bowling performances – Sophie [MacMahon] has only played a game or two, and I thought she was brilliant with the ball, Raacky had more of an experienced head, but she was also brilliant, so there are positives to take but overall a very disappointing day.”

After winning the toss, Taylor elected to bat first. Good tight early bowling from Celeste Raack (1-16) and Garth (1-19) restricted the early batting, with Sophie MacMahon (1-20) in her debut T20I chiming in with a promising performance.

However, with the visitors on 53-2 in the 11th over, Taylor opened up and smashed 11 fours and one six on her way to 75 from 53 balls towards 139-4.

One concerning matter for the Irish was the condition of captain Laura Delany, who was struck hard on the ankle when fielding off her own bowling. She was taken to hospital for precautionary scans.

In response, tight and quick bowling by the West Indian attack created early in-roads into the Irish side.

Only vice-captain Garth (46) – a personal best T20I score - got to grips with the attack. The Irish side eventually succumbed for 75-9 from 18.4 overs.