Clare Shillington: Ireland veteran quits one-day internationals after World Cup Qualifier

Clare Shillington played the last of her 90 one-day internationals as Ireland lost to South Africa in Colombo

Clare Shillington announced her retirement from one-day internationals after Ireland lost to South Africa in their final World Cup Qualifier game.

Shillington, who made 90 appearances in the 50-over format, will continue to play Twenty20 internationals.

The 36-year-old scored 1,276 runs, including six half-centuries, in an ODI career which began in August 1997.

Ireland, already out of contention for a World Cup place, lost by 36 runs in a rain-affected contest in Colombo.

The Irish were bowled out for 166 with a ball of their 50 overs to spare, with Malahide keeper Mary Waldron top-scoring with an unbeaten 33.

Isobel Joyce (30), Cecelia Joyce (29) and Gaby Lewis (21) were unable to push on against a South Africa side who had already made sure of qualification, as Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus and Dane van Niekerk all took two wickets.

Kim Garth trapped Lee lbw early on in South Africa's reply, but Laura Wolvaardt (32 not out) and Mignon du Preez (29 not out) took them to 82-1 when rain and thunder at the Colombo Cricket Club curtailed the game with the batting side well ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.

Shillington, whose ODI career began as a 16-year-old, said: "It feels like it's the right time to move away from the longer format due to the increased programme and upcoming tour commitments.

"But I am excited to stay involved in the T20 format with a qualifier and World T20 coming around in 2018."

In 2013, she became the first Irish woman to score a Twenty20 hundred in a 117-run victory over Japan, hammering an unbeaten 114 from 72 balls in Dublin, although that match was not classed as a "full" T20 international as Japan do not have T20 international status.