Irish look way out of their depth

CRICKET/Women's World Cup: World champions New Zealand looked just that at Harlequins yesterday, giving the Irish women a lesson in determined, positive and tactically aware cricket. Ireland just seemed to lack confidence at this level, particularly while batting.

The gulf in class between the "White Ferns" and Ireland was not just down to ability and training. The Irish have some fine players, but, with the exception of Miriam Grealey and Barbara McDonald, they have the attitude of a side that is just here to make up the numbers.

Yesterday's batting performance was a case in point. Emma Beamish and Gillian Smythe got Ireland to a solid, if quiet, start, seeing the shine off the new ball well.

But then, when they were both clearly seeing it well, they did not have the confidence to push along the scoring and put the Kiwis under a bit of pressure in the field.

Beamish was out lbw for four, which brought Catriona Beggs, Ireland's only batter of substance yesterday, to the wicket. Now with 51 caps, Beggs is a seasoned campaigner, but even though she played a good anchor role, she never really threatened to dominate the bowling. Her 31 runs came off 102 balls.

Mind you, it didn't help that her team-mates were falling around her. Smythe was run out for the third time in three appearances, Grealey was caught behind for five, and captain Claire Shillington was run out just when she looked like she was about to take the game to a new place - one where the run-rate was above two per over.

But it was not to be. In her first mark of the tournament Cecelia Joyce fell without scoring and the tailenders did not impress.

Ireland were eventually all out for 91, helped along to that total by New Zealand's concession of 26 extras. Not that it really mattered.

New Zealand set after their target with a professional ferocity, Maia Lewis (38 not out) and Amy Mason (46 not out) doing most of the damage.

After the game Ireland's team manager, Sandra Dawson, was forthright in her views.

"They are not applying themselves. They don't understand what world cup cricket is all about because they don't play enough overseas or against international opposition.

"New Zealand are confident in their ability. They want to win and they are just physically and mentally much stronger," she said.