It was Melie Kerr who turned things around as she bagged two wickets in the 18th over. The leg-break bowler had already helped her team put the brakes on Ireland as she took pace off and made the Irish batters generate power.
Prendergast fell while attempting to hit through Kerr, as she ended up handing an easy catch to Maddy Green at deep mid-wicket. The New Zealand captain struck again two balls later, with the wicket of Rebecca Stokell.
Ireland slipped from 116/2 to 123/4 as Lewis fell to Rosemary Mair, all but ending her team’s historic pursuit.
With three defeats in three matches, Ireland remain at the bottom of Group B standings, while New Zealand have improved to fourth.
