Thistle vs Clover; Whisky vs whiskey; Sean Connery vs Cillian Murphy. Scotland vs Ireland is a rivalry more accustomed to the rugby pitch than a cricket one. But when it comes to 22 yards, there is still no love lost between these two.<\/p>\n
You could tell from the anthems. As an all-female rendition of \u2018Flower of Scotland\u2019 rang around Old Trafford, a tear could almost be shed from Kirstie Gordon\u2019s right eye. How much it meant to even represent the Saltires was clear, so to win by 40 runs, one can only imagine the emotions.<\/p>\n
In the first meeting between the Celtic cousins at a T20 Women\u2019s World Cup, the Bryce sisters, as they so often do, propelled the Scots through a rocky start, with Kathryn top scoring with 60 from 39 deliveries and her sister falling agonisingly short of a maiden T20 World Cup half-century when she nicked through to Amy Hunter for 49 off 35 balls.<\/p>\n
As a duo, the pair\u2019s 106-run partnership put on the highest partnership for Scotland at a T20 World Cup, smashing the previous record of 46 put on by the Bryce of the Kathryn variety and Ailsa Lister in 2024 against the West Indies. It was also the fourth highest partnership in all T20Is.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe obviously lost those two fairly early wickets,\u201d Katherine Fraser said. \u201cBut the way they went about that innings, got themselves in and then were able to accelerate was brilliant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Making their debuts in 2011 and 2015 when the sisters were 13 and 15 respectively, Kathryn and Sarah have become part of the furniture within the Scotland women\u2019s cricket team. It is no wonder that as a pair they hold four of the top five partnerships, with Kathryn also a part of the fifth.<\/p>\n
They showed that same nous again for their country as it proved tricky to score in the opening six overs. In blisteringly cold, windy conditions, timing initially escaped them after Darcey Carter and Katherine Fraser both perished in the powerplay, but they didn\u2019t panic.<\/p>\n
It took until the 11th over to break the shackles. Sarah Bryce took on Cara Murray to immense effect; the over going for 20, from which they consistently put Irish bowlers under pressure.<\/p>\n
As far as Ireland are concerned, there were positives to be taken with the ball \u2013 the less said about the batting the better in truth. Ava Canning and Arlene Kelly limited Scottish batters with a variation of cutters and slower balls, but in truth the Bryce sisters were ominous, and Ireland found no answer. They didn\u2019t help themselves; dropping Ailsa Lister on four might not have been costly, but dropping Kathryn Bryce on 20 at deep cover certainly was.<\/p>\n
The lack of intensity leaked into the Irish batting. Changing allegiances from England to don the Scottish thistle, Kirstie Gordon joined the party, taking three wickets in her third over. The second was a superb caught and bowled, tumbling away to her right to dismiss Leah Paul, followed next ball by bowling Alice Tector, who played down the wrong line of a delivery which went on with the arm. She missed out the hat-trick ball as the ball managed to spin past both Orla Prendergast\u2019s bat and off stump, but regardless she finished with figures of three for 16 from four overs.<\/p>\n
Kathryn Bryce added to her batting delights by taking two wickets, the first through a one-handed \u201ccam catch\u201d in the words of Fraser, who marvelled in awe at the nonchalant nature of the quite spectacular take.<\/p>\n
It sent the Scots on their way not only in the match, but the tournament, and the Irish had no answer. And with the men\u2019s football team playing Haiti at 2 am tomorrow morning, it could be a long night of celebration.<\/p>\n
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![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG-20250520-WA0004-150x150.jpg\")
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