Harare:It was a birthday to remember for Ireland's Amy Hunter who became the youngest centurion in international cricket at 16 years of age in the fourth ODI against Zimbabwe, helping her team win by 86 runs. Amy beat Mithali Raj's record as she helped Ireland to a series win against Zimbabwe. Mithali had set the women's record with an unbeaten 114 against Ireland in 1999 at the age of 16 years and 205 days.
Needing a win to level the series and avoid a series loss, Zimbabwe won the toss and put Ireland into bat first in the fourth and final ODI.
Ireland openers Leah Paul and Gaby got the team off to a steady start yet again but could not replicate their performances from the previous two games where they strung a 100-run partnership in each game. Esther Mbofana struck for Zimbabwe in the Powerplay and rattled the stumps of Leah to send her back to the pavilion for 12.
At the other end, Gaby's purple patch continued as she registered her third consecutive fifty. At the other end, Amy Hunter too played her shots as the two put on a 104-run partnership for the second wicket before Lewis made the long walk back.
Skipper Laura Delany joined Amy at the crease and upped the scoring rate after the top-order had laid a solid foundation for a huge score. Amy, who had registered a string of low scores in the first three ODIs of her career, brought up her maiden fifty soon. Amy, who turned 16 on the day, made the occasion even more memorable as she went on to score her first ODI century, thus becoming the youngest player in the history of the game, male or female, to score an international century in any form of the game.