AMY HUNTER remained unbeaten for a second successive T20 international in Harare yesterday, adding 77 not out to her century on Friday as Ireland took a 2-0 lead over Zimbabwe in the five-match series.

The Belfast teenager and opening partner Gaby Lewis again gave the Girls in Green a solid start with a partnership of 94 before Orla Prendergast upped the tempo with a crunching 37 from only 17 balls including seven fours and a six.

Hunter topped that with two maximums and six fours in a 57-ball innings, as Ireland raced away to 172-3 before restricting the home side to 130-8, to record a 42-run win.

Captain Laura Delany was the star with the ball, striking the stumps twice in her first over as she dropped on a nagging length, and watching Arlene Kelly take a stunning one-handed catch in her last to finish with a career-best 4-12.

Delany’s efforts earned her the Player of the Match award which was rough on Hunter given that the game was effectively won by the time the skipper marked out her run up ahead of the 14th over.

Ireland will win the series with a third victory at the same venue tomorrow (TUES) and emulate the senior men’s team who beat Zimbabwe in both ODIs and T20s before Christmas.