Rolton's ton helps Australia crush Ireland

Australia 295 for 3 (Rolton 151, Sthalekar 100*) defeated Ireland 55 (Nitschke 4 for 15) by 240 runs
Scorecard

Australia's men may have struggled at the start of their UK tour, but there were no such concerns for their women as they got their summer off to a flyer, walloping Ireland by 240 runs at Dublin. It was a contest that wasn't so much one-sided as non-sided as the World Champions took on a team who had failed to win a match in the World Cup this year. But, after the first game of this three-match series was washed out, Australia were grateful for any practice they could grab ahead of their trip to England.

Heather Whelan's first match at Ireland captain didn't quite go to plan - on a personal level, she went wicketless and made a duck, on a team level Ireland were thumped - but playing Australia was always going to be a tough ask. Whelan won the toss but things went downhill from there: after inserting Australia, they went on to amass 295 for 3 from 50 overs.

Karen Rolton and Lisa Sthalekar cashed in, each striking some of the easiest - but nonetheless impressive - centuries they could hope to make at this level. It was the second successive international hundred for Rolton, whose last one-day knock happened to be the World Cup final, and here she treated a modest crowd to another classy display, taking just 114 balls to deposit 151 runs. Sthalekar's 100 not out came from a comparatively sedate 123 balls.

Barbara McDonald struck two early blows to dismiss Lisa Keightley and the formidable Belinda Clark with just 34 on the board, but from there on in it was all Australia.

It was their bowlers' turn next and they took just 26 overs to rip through the home side's defences, whose batting card was beginning to resemble a telephone number. And even though Ireland called on the substitute Eimear Richardson to bat, like all-but-one of her team-mates, she could only offer single figures.

This may be the last year that UK-based supporters witness Cathryn Fitzpatrick's talents, and she didn't let the fans down, grabbing 2 for 13 from seven overs. But the bowling star was Shelley Nitschke, who bagged 4 for 15 from five.

The two teams return to Dublin on Monday for the final match of the series. For different reasons, both teams will be relieved it is the last.