Rebecca Stokell stroked a career-best 54 not out to take Ireland to 281-5 in Leicester only to see England charge to a six-wicket victory with 11.5 overs to spare in the first of three ODI World Cup qualifying matches.
Skipper Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter also made half-centuries to set what looked like an imposing target, but a century from Maia Bouchier made light of what was a record one-day international chase for England.
Put into bat, the Girls in Green soon lost new opener Alice Tector — caught behind for 11 — but Lewis and Hunter steadily laid the foundations of a big score with a second-wicket stand of 136.
The skipper struck eight boundaries before she was bowled through the gate for 69 from 89 balls, while an ugly slog across the line saw Hunter depart for 62.
With Orla Prendergast already gone, the Ireland innings was primed for its customary slump, but Stokell kept the scoreboard ticking with seven fours and received good support from Leah Paul.
Any thoughts of a shock win and their first World Cup qualifying points were quickly put into perspective, though, by an England opening stand of 143 in 19.4 overs. And despite three wickets for leg-spinner Cara Murray, the home side barely broke sweat.
“At midway we had confidence,” Lewis said. “The way Rebecca finished was outstanding — she took it on and showed bravery at the back end.”
Will Stokell’s innings prove a turning point in an international career that has promised so much since her debut in 2017 but frustratingly failed to deliver time and again?
Ireland need a powerful middle-order batter to back up the big three of Lewis, Hunter and Prendergast, and the 26-year-old has the physique and talent yet still averages below 20 across all formats after 96 games.
Indeed, she has only one other half-century — 53 not out against Sri Lanka two years ago.
Whether this is another false dawn for Stokell may become clearer tomorrow on Thursday in the second match of the series in Derby.