England fall away after Dunkley hundred to post 291

Cara Murray takes four wickets as England collapse from 200 for 2

Innings break England 291 (Dunkley 119, Gibson 42, Murray 4-56) vs Ireland

Sophia Dunkley's run-a-ball century set Ireland a target of 292 in the third and final ODI of the series at Worcester.

Dunkley's international career best of 119 from as many balls - her second ODI ton - led England to 291 after Ireland won the toss and elected to field first.

Cara Murray, the leading wicket-taker for the series so far, took 4 for 56, including 3 for 6 in the space of seven balls, and two catches to raise Ireland's hopes as England lost their last six wickets for 31 runs in 6.1 overs.

Dunkley and Maia Bouchier, who had combined for a 143-run stand in the opening match, made a sedate start as Arlene Kelly - playing her final professional match before retiring - and Orla Prendergast restricted them to just 14 runs from the first four overs. But then Bouchier unleashed three fours in five balls from Prendergast, and Dunkley struck two in three deliveries off Prendergast's next over.

After 10 overs, England were 61 without loss and looking very comfortable. Bouchier fell for 39 off 35 balls at the end of the 12th via a leading edge off Kia McCartney straight to cover, ending a 73-run union but Dunkley remained in control.

She dominated a 110-run stand off 111 balls with No. 3 Jodi Grewcock and moved to 99 by punishing a Louise Little short ball behind square leg and raised her hundred next ball with a single down the ground.

Alice Capsey was run out when Dunkley struck a McCartney delivery firmly back towards the bowler, who got a fingertip to the ball before it clattered into the stumps at the non-striker's end with Capsey short of her ground. At that point, England were 200 for 3 in the 34th over

Dunkley picked out Prendergast just inside the boundary at deep midwicket off Lara McBride to end her innings, before she would have liked but after setting an excellent platform for her team.

Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp added 46 runs for the fifth wicket but from there, things fell away for the home side. Kemp sent a Murray delivery wide of long-off where Ireland skipper Gaby Lewis did well to take it and hold her footing just inside the rope. No sooner had Charlie Dean dispatched a Murray full toss for four and she sent the faintest of edges behind and Mady Villiers fell in Murray's next over, holing out to deep midwicket.

Murray took a straightforward catch in the deep to remove Ryana MacDonald-Gay and give Kelly a wicket in her swansong and, when Gibson was run out for 42, tailenders Lauren Filer and Tilly Corteen-Coleman had two overs left to negotiate. Filer top-edged Prendergast to the keeper with seven balls remaining.