Sarah and Kathryn Bryce\u2019s 106-run partnership powered Scotland to a first-ever ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup victory as they beat Ireland by 40 runs at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bryce sisters came together with Scotland in a potentially precarious position at 36 for two but dominated the Irish attack to help carry their side to 161 for five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ireland stemmed the flow of runs later on with three quick wickets but could not take momentum into their reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any hope of victory was extinguished by Kirstie Gordon, who took three wickets in an over in her first match for Scotland in eight years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bryce sisters make history<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There were a lot of things Scotland had never done before at a World Cup, and the Bryce sisters changed that at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah joined Kathryn in the middle after Katherine Fraser (15) and Darcey Carter (14) departed inside the powerplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boundaries were hard to come by on a slow outfield but the siblings ran between the wickets almost telepathically to keep the run rate ticking over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The halfway stage of the innings marked the point of acceleration as the pair took 36 runs from the next two overs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kathryn brought up her fifty in the 15th over, doing so off 32 balls, the first half-century for Scotland at an ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup. In reaching that landmark, she also surpassed her sister\u2019s mark of 49 as the previous best Scotland score at a World Cup, while the same boundary brought up another milestone, Scotland\u2019s first century partnership in this competition\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah was unable to follow her sister in raising her bat as she nicked behind off the bowling of Amy Hunter for 49 from 35 balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scotland then faltered as Ailsa Lister and Kathryn Bryce fell in the same Ava Canning over, with Bryce dismissed for 60 from 39 balls, as Ireland were set 162 to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gordon takes three in an over on World Cup return<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n The last time Kirstie Gordon played in the Women\u2019s T20 World Cup, she was playing for England. Back at the tournament but this time with a thistle back on her chest, she took three wickets in an over to earn Scotland a maiden win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The chase began with Kathryn Bryce taking a stunning catch off her own bowling to dismiss Alana Dalzell for six in the opening over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy Hunter took on the charge, taking 14 runs off Chloe Abel\u2019s first over as Ireland reached the halfway stage on 58 for two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Hunter took one risk too far and was the second batter to fall to Fraser, who finished with three for 19 as Scotland seized control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gordon (three for16) then put the outcome beyond doubt, removing Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul and Alice Tector in the space of four deliveries to reduce Ireland to 70 for six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two run outs followed before Kathryn Bryce returned to the attack to take the final wicket, with Ireland dismissed for 121.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scores in brief<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Scotland v Ireland, Old Trafford, Manchester<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Scotland 161\/5 in 20 overs (Kathryn Bryce 60, Sarah Bryce 49; Ava Canning 3\/27, Arlene Kelly 1\/24)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ireland 121 all out in 19.1 overs (Amy Hunter 39, Orla Prendergast 33; Kirstie Gordon 3\/16, Katherine Fraser 3\/19)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Result: Scotland win by 40 runs<\/p>\n\n\n\n