Laura Delany fell just short of her first T20 international century in Rotterdam yesterday but her top score of 91 set Ireland on course to a 33-run victory over Italy and a clean sweep of their six matches in the World Cup qualifiers.

Delany and Amy Hunter shared a second-wicket stand of 139, with the former skipper facing 57 balls and hitting 13 fours while her teenage partner made 62 from 51 balls.

Hunter’s dismissal in the 18th over led to a clatter of five wickets in 13 balls, the last of which was Delany who was stumped from the penultimate ball of the Ireland innings that closed on 175-6.

“It was a really nice track to bat on,” Delany said. “Over the past 18 months I’ve been working on the power side of my game and we’re encouraged to go out and play a fearless type of cricket and I did that today.

“I haven’t batted a lot with Amy — and she made me run a fair bit — but it was brilliant. For someone so young she’s got so much experience and tactical awareness.”

With a place in the global qualifiers already assured, the Girls in Green rested star all-rounder Orla Prendergast, along with skipper Gaby Lewis and leg-spinner Cara Murray, and the move almost back-fired.

Italy raced to 110-2 after 13 overs in reply before off-spinners Lara McBride and Freya Sargent applied a brake, taking five wickets between them and the Azzurre innings rapidly faded to 142-9.

Delany received the Player-of-the-Match award and was also surprisingly voted Player-of-the-Tournament having scored a total of 119 runs, and taken eight wickets. 

If there wasn’t such a great spirit in the Irish camp after beating Pakistan earlier in the month and then qualifying so easily, Hunter with 241 runs, including a century, and Lewis who made 193 runs from four innings might be feeling a little hard done by.