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Kim Garth showed the kind of form that helped the Sydney Sixers win the Women's Big Bash in Australia recently as Ireland completed an emphatic 119-run win over Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup qualifier in Sri Lanka.
The Pembroke star top scored for the Irish with 63 as they posted a commanding 237 for six in their 50 overs in Colombo.
She received good support from skipper Laura Delany who made 47 – her best score at international level as the pair added 94 for the third wicket.
The Irish timed their innings perfectly as they accelerated in the final stages, adding 101 in the last 13 overs as the Zimbabweans toiled in the sauna-like conditions.
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Clare Shillington, batting down the order, hit a breezy 30 from just 20 balls as her and Garth added 52 in just 34 balls.
Mary Waldron (18 not out) and teenager Gaby Lewis (13 not out) kept the momentum going in their unbroken seventh wicket stand of 36 from only 22 balls.
Leinster's Amy Kenealy celebrated her 50th cap by taking two early wickets as Ireland kept a firm grip on the game.
Leg-spinner Ciara Metcalfe and Garth both picked up three wickets as Zimbabwe slumped from 58 for two to 118 all out, losing eight wickets for 60 runs.
Robyn Lewis (two for seven) was the other successful bowler for the Irish in a clinical all-round display which sets them up for Super Six qualification and the continued ODI status that goes with it.
Ireland are back in action on Wednesday when they face hosts Sri Lanka – who were beaten on the opening day by tournament favourites India. Bangladesh and South Africa beat PNG and Pakistan in the other games.
ICC WOMENS’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
(at Colombo): Ireland 237-6 (50 ovs) (K Garth 63, L Delany 47, C Shillington 30, C Joyce 26; J Nkomo 2-46, N Mutasa 2-53).
Zimbabwe 118 (37.5 ovs) (A Noiraya 35, L Tshuma 25, M Musonda 20, K Garth 3-24, C Metcalfe 3-38, R Lewis 2-7, A Kenealy 2-19).
Ireland won by 119 runs
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