There will be a Halstead Cricket Club presence at the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in March after Catherine Dalton received a call up into the Ireland squad heading to the finals in India.

The 23-year-old has been a regular for Halstead’s first and second teams playing in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship over the last few years, but has now earned international recognition with the Ireland team.

Dalton, who also plays for Middlesex Ladies, hit the headlines last year when she joined an exclusive group of female players to have hit a century in the Two Counties Championship.

She hit three figures in Halstead seconds’ division four victory against Felixstowe and ended the season with a batting average of 25.87.

Having gained Irish citizenship towards the end of last year, Dalton was selected to play for them in the World Twenty20 qualifying tournament in Thailand before Christmas.

Having clinched their place in Bangkok with wins against the Netherlands, China, Zimbabwe, Scotland and finally Bangladesh, the Irish are now looking forward to the finals in India.

However, they have tough games coming up against holders Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Group A and Ireland head coach Aaron Hamilton said they will be making preparations over the next month.

Hamilton said: “We have a tough game first up against New Zealand, but the squad has been training through the winter and with three warm-ups against India, Bangladesh and Pakistan lined up, we will be ready.”

Ireland’s first group match against New Zealand is in Mohali on March 18, followed by Sri Lanka at the same venue two days later.

They face South Africa in Chennai on March 23, with the final group game against Australia in Delhi on March 26.