2021 saw a return to action for Ireland Women, with the side playing 17 competitive matches, winning 12 and losing five of them.

There was much joy and relief as Laura Delany led the side out onto the pitch after a hiatus of 625 days on a gloriously sunny day at Stormont - an achievement in itself.

Although the result went the way of the Scots, Ireland bounced back to take the series 3-1.

The Netherlands travelled to Dublin and again the Irish clinched the series, which was again a hard-fought one, winning 2-1.

The European T20 World Cup qualifiers saw Gaby Lewis score the first T20I century by an Irish woman, as they beat Germany, and while there were also wins over France and Netherlands, a defeat by Scotland saw their rivals clinch the trophy and the qualification slot on offer.

Eimear Richardson was the Player of the Tournament, and there was further good news later, as there was to be a reprieve as the Irish received a qualification slot too by virtue of being the highest ranked runners-up following the completion of the qualifiers.

Once the T20 season had finished with a Played 11, won 8, lost 3 record, the attention switched to the 50-overs/ODI format.

The Irish travelled to Zimbabwe for a warm-up series in October ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers, and after losing the opener, bounced back to clinch a 3-1 series victory. The highlight was Amy Hunter becoming the youngest international centurion, achieving the milestone on her 16th birthday - quite incredible.

The World Cup qualifiers saw the Irish beaten by favourites West Indies, before defeating Netherlands in a high scoring game. The competition was evenly poised before the emergence of the Omicron variant saw the tournament called off.

Although Ireland didn't get the opportunity to finish their World Cup qualification attempt, they had a nice consolation in getting a place in the 2022 ODI Championship which guarantees them 27 ODI's against the top ranked sides in the coming years. For the record they played six 50 overs/ODI games winning four and losing two.

So what of the individual stats and performances for the year? In the batting Gaby Lewis was by far the outstanding performer and her brilliance has been recognized by being shortlisted in two categories by the ICC in their 2021 awards.

She topped the run charts with 670 runs at an excellent average of 51.54, as well as a strike rate of 96.13 - hitting a hundred and four fifties.

Ireland Women managed 11 fifties in the season, with skipper Laura Delany also getting four of them. She showed great consistency and quality in her tally of 461 runs at 32.93 (s/r 98.29).

Leah Paul passed 50 twice and just missed out on a hundred, having a highest score of 95 on her way to 252 runs at 25.20.

Rebecca Stokell made 217 at 19.73, while Shauna Kavanagh chipped in with 214 at 21.56. Others who passed 100 runs for the season were Eimear Richardson, Orla Prendergast and the aforementioned Amy Hunter.

Ireland's reliance on spin is reflected in the fact that four of the six leading wicket takers are slow bowlers, with Cara Murray and Leah Paul both taking 16 wickets, just ahead of Celeste Raack, who claimed 15.

Orla Prendergast's foot injury restricted her involvement, but her 13 wickets came at just 9.92 and if she can stay fit, then a bright future is certain.

Laura Delany (13) and Eimear Richardson (11) were the others to pass double figures for the season.

What then for 2022?

While it's going to be an exciting time, it's undoubtedly a major step up in the quality of opposition they will be encountering.

It could be a case of sink or swim. We will certainly have a cleared idea of where they stand this time next year.

Fingers crossed.

IRELAND WOMEN BATTING

Top Run Aggregates

# Name Club Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 0 4s 6s Runs
1 GH Lewis Ireland 16 16 3 670 105* 51.54 697 96.13 1 4 - 83 6 670
2 L Delany Ireland 17 15 1 461 86 32.93 469 98.29 - 4 2 46 1 461
3 L Paul Ireland 17 11 1 252 95 25.20 383 65.80 - 2 2 21 - 252
4 R Stokell Ireland 12 12 1 217 48 19.73 273 79.49 - - - 24 2 217
5 SM Kavanagh Ireland 13 10 1 194 37 21.56 237 81.86 - - 1 15 2 194
6 EAJ Richardson Ireland 9 7 1 154 53 25.67 189 81.48 - 1 1 16 2 154
7 O Prendergast Ireland 15 13 4 137 28 15.22 135 101.48 - - 4 10 1 137
8 A Hunter Ireland 9 7 1 137 121* 22.83 158 86.71 1 - 1 9 - 137
9 L Maritz Ireland 10 8 3 49 16* 9.80 56 87.50 - - 1 5 1 49
10 S MacMahon Ireland 10 4 - 47 29 11.75 26 180.77 - - - 6 - 47
11 MV Waldron Ireland 11 5 2 36 12 12.00 59 61.02 - - - 1 - 36
12 C Raack Ireland 11 5 2 28 10 9.33 38 73.68 - - - 2 - 28
13 L Little Ireland 1 1 1 12 12* - 7 171.43 - - - 1 - 12
14 R Delaney Ireland 3 1 1 9 9* - 10 90.00 - - - - - 9
15 C Murray Ireland 13 4 1 4 2 1.33 9 44.44 - - 1 - - 4
16 J Maguire Ireland 5 2 1 2 2* 2.00 5 40.00 - - 1 - - 2
17 G Dempsey Ireland 6 2 1 1 1* 1.00 3 33.33 - - 1 - - 1

IRELAND WOMEN BOWLING

Top Wicket Takers
 

# Name Club Mat Overs Mdns Runs Wkts BBI Ave Econ SR 5WI 10WM wds nbs Wkts
1 C Murray Ireland 13 55.5 1 287 16 3-9 17.94 5.14 20.94 - - 25 2 16
2 L Paul Ireland 17 80.3 6 338 16 4-16 21.12 4.20 30.19 - - 26 - 16
3 C Raack Ireland 11 58 - 246 15 3-15 16.40 4.24 23.20 - - 14 5 15
4 O Prendergast Ireland 15 38.4 6 129 13 4-24 9.92 3.34 17.85 - - 4 - 13
5 L Delany Ireland 17 64 1 252 13 3-17 19.38 3.94 29.54 - - 6 - 13
6 EAJ Richardson Ireland 9 39.1 3 200 11 2-0 18.18 5.11 21.36 - - 3 2 11
7 L Maritz Ireland 10 24 1 95 8 3-13 11.88 3.96 18.00 - - 6 3 8
8 S MacMahon Ireland 10 35 - 186 7 2-44 26.57 5.31 30.00 - - 11 1 7
9 A Canning Ireland 9 29 3 102 6 2-5 17.00 3.52 29.00 - - 10 - 6
10 J Maguire Ireland 5 31 2 126 3 1-24 42.00 4.06 62.00 - - 7 - 3
11 R Delaney Ireland 3 4.3 - 27 1 1-14 27.00 6.00 27.00 - - 1 1 1
12 G Dempsey Ireland 6 23 - 115 1 1-7 115.00 5.00 138.00 - - 13 3 1