England maintain winning start to T20 World Cup with victory over Ireland

England made it two wins from two to start the Women's T20 World Cup but their four-wicket win over Ireland was overshadowed by an injury scare to Nat Sciver-Bunt, who retired herself out on 48 as she continues to manage a calf issue.

Chasing 119, England stumbled to 35-3 in the sixth over of their reply, before Sciver-Brunt's assured 48 from 37 balls had the hosts cruising to victory - until she retired two short of a half-century and nine away from their target.

The England captain, speaking after the match, said the move was "just precautionary", adding: "I felt a bit of tightness in my calf so I thought I better not push it."

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Scorecard: England vs Ireland, Women's T20 World Cup

England vs Ireland, Hampshire Bowl - as it happened

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Sciver-Brunt only returned to the team last week after missing more than a month with a torn left calf. An ECB statement said "she is currently being assessed by England medics".

Vice-captain Charlie Dean said of Sciver-Brunt: "I think she just had a bit of tightness. It's a credit to Nat, and who she is, that as a precaution she took herself off to not do any further damage.

"I guess I'm on standby but hopefully I won't be needed."

England lost a sixth wicket four balls later, with Freya Kemp (2) run out, before they finally squeaked home with 14 balls to spare following the somewhat curious batting display, edging closer to a semi-final spot from Group B.

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England vs Ireland, Women's T20 World Cup

Ireland 118-9 in 20 overs: Louise Little (26no off 15 balls), Orla Prendergast (26 off 18); Sophie Ecclestone (3-22), Dani Gibson (2-10), Charlie Dean (2-11)

England 119-6 in 17.3 overs: Nat Sciver-Brunt (48 off 37 balls), Heather Knight (26 off 23); Orla Prendergast (2-17), Aimee Maguire (2-23)

Ecclestone impresses after rain-delayed start

Earlier, once play got under way after more than an hour's rain delay, Sophie Ecclestone starred with the ball, the left-arm spinner responding brilliantly to her opening over being tonked for 13 as she took 3-22 to restrict Ireland to 118-9.

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Ecclestone's haul included the wicket of Rebecca Stokell (9) to a fine stumping from Amy Jones, while Dani Gibson (2-10) then bowled the dangerous Orla Prendergast (26 off 18) off her bottom edge to have Ireland 57-5 before the midpoint of their innings.

Charlie Dean (2-11) and Gibson each claimed a second scalp before Ecclestone took two more in the 19th over to have Ireland nine down just as they hit the 100 mark.

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Some valuable lower-order hitting from Louise Little (26no off 15) added some respectability to the Ireland total as Lauren Bell, who had earlier dismissed captain Gaby Lewis for a first-ball duck, saw her final over smashed for 17 runs.

Ireland carried some of that momentum into their bowling display, with Aimee Maguire (2-23) accounting for both England openers - Amy Jones (9) and, centurion versus Sri Lanka, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (16) - in the space of three balls.

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Prendergast (2-17) then bowled Capsey (5) in the next over to have England teetering a touch at 35-3 in the sixth until Sciver-Brunt and a handy 26 off 23 from Heather Knight helped the home side wrestle the match back in their favour.

They put on 64 for the fourth wicket until Knight fell lbw to Prendergast, after review, while Sciver-Brunt's late retirement not only denied herself the winning moment but will be cause for concern going forward in the tournament.

'No point for Sciver-Brunt to push calf injury'

Sky Sports Cricket's Tash Farrant:

"It's a niggly one when you get a little tear in your calf like she [Sciver-Brunt] had.

"I think she's switched on enough to know that there is no point in that situation to push it in any way.

"We hope and we pray that her calf isn't too bad. She looked a little bit down in the dumps, but maybe that's just because she didn't get her fifty - although I'm sure she's not worried about those accolades.

"Fair play to Nat, if it is precautionary, to realise at the time, take herself off and let the rest of the girls see the team home."

England's Women's T20 World Cup fixtures/results

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Friday June 12 (Edgbaston): England beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

Tuesday June 16 (Hampshire Bowl): England beat Ireland by four wickets

Saturday June 20: England vs Scotland, Headingley 6.30pm

Wednesday June 24: England vs West Indies, Lord's 6.30pm

Saturday June 27: England vs New Zealand, The Oval 6.30pm

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