Cricket:It was a measure of the meek challenge put up by Canada in this Intercontinental Cup match over its two-day duration that the moment of most concern for Ireland came in an unscheduled meeting between two of their players while going for the same ball.
Ireland completed their second 20-points victory inside six days to go top of the table with an innings and 11-run annihilation, with off-spinner Albert van der Merwe completing a fine day’s work in earning career-best first-class figures of eight for 131 on a day when 23 wickets fell in total.
Rizwan Cheema’s knock of 97 from 45 balls gave the afternoon crowd some entertainment to go with the late summer sunshine, a change in mood from their concern earlier in today when Paul Stirling and skipper Kevin O’Brien crashed into each other and then the ground after colliding while attempting to catch Amarbir Hansra off a top edge.
After treatment from Ireland and Dublin football physio Kieran O’Reilly and strength and conditioning coach Brendan Connor they both made their way gingerly off the pitch under their own steam.
A collision more in keeping with the nearby RDS could have had nightmare consequences ahead of the important ODI, and now World Cup qualifying, matches against the Canadians next week, but a bloody toe, bruised shoulder and a few scratches for O’Brien, and a stiff neck for Stirling, added up to a good result in the circumstances.
The players of course will have an extra two days off to tend to the bumps and bruises ahead of Monday’s opening game between the sides in Clontarf, with all-rounder Trent Johnston also receiving on-going treatment on his knee injury as he attempts to prove his fitness.
The other thing Ireland will bring from this victory was that although Canada showed little application for the four-day game, they do have some serious stroke-makers more suited to one-day cricket.
Coach Phil Simmons will also have been delighted with the performance of YMCA’s Van der Merwe on his first appearance of the season, his patience rewarded with a fine performance that saw him record his second five-wicket haul against Canada in just over a year.
Ireland lost their last three wickets in 40 minutes in the morning to make 462 and grabbed two Canadian wickets before lunch.
Van der Merwe, in tandem with George Dockrell, went to work after lunch
taking seven wickets between them, while John Mooney also took two as Canada were skittled before tea for 194.
Enforcing the follow-on, Canada looked like they were warming up for next week with Cheema’s 97 including six fours, ten sixes, one dented silver saloon and a few cracked slates on Mount Pleasant Avenue.
After taking the extra half-hour to finish the game, Van der Merwe was on course for a ten-wicket haul, only for local lad Dockrell to finish the game off with two wickets in two balls as Canada made 257 second time around.
Forgetting his sore toe, O’Brien ran out to greet his players after watching from the sideline and admitted the result leaves Ireland in good stead ahead of next week’s games
“To take 18 wickets in two sessions to win a match in two days is fantastic. I’m sure when we get back together on Sunday for training we’ll have our one-day heads on and obviously the guys (English-based players) will be flying in from England on Saturday, so it’s going to be a new-look squad as such.
"We obviously know how big the games are now to get that automatic qualification, so we’ll be raring to go.”
SCORECARD - INTERCONTINENTAL CUP (at Rathmines)
Day two of four. Overnight:Ireland 435-5 (96 ovs) (P Stirling 107, A Cusack 81, K O'Brien 79, G Wilson 61).
IRELAND FIRST INNINGS CONTINUED
J Mooney c Tariq b Chohan 40
S Poynter lbw b Baidwan 31
G Dockrell b Aulakh 10
A van der Merwe not out 5
P Eaglestone b Chohan 0
Extras(b4, lb6, nb7, w1) 18
Total(all out, 104.5 ovs) 462
Fall of wickets: 1-155, 2-185, 3-200, 4-236, 5-351, 6-384, 7-424, 8-456, 9-460.
Bowling: K Chohan 23.5-0-101-4; H Baidwan 11-0-57-1; M Aulukh 22-3-94-3; Z Hussain 18-4-66-0; R Cheema 9-0-48-1; H Patel 12-2-40-0; J Hansra 9-1-46-1.
CANADA FIRST INNINGS
H Patel c White b Mooney 0
N Kumar c Eaglestone b Van der Merwe 27
R Gunasekera st S Poynter b Van der Merwe 66 71 8 192.96
Z Siddiqui b Van der Merwe 14
J Hansra lbw b Dockrell 8
R Cheema c A Poynter b Mooney 28
H Tariq c&b Van der Merwe 33
K Chohan run out 0
H Baidwan c Dockrell b Van der Merwe 3
M Aulakh c S Poynter b Dockrell 0
Z Hussain not out 2
Extras(b4, lb6, nb3) 13
Total(all out, 44 ovs 194
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-88, 3-114, 4-123, 5-123, 6-163, 7-174, 8-186, 9-192.
Bowling:J Mooney 9-4-28-2; P Eaglestone 5-0-26-0; A van der Merwe 13-0-70-5; G Dockrell 17-2-60-2.
CANADA SECOND INNINGS (Following on)
H Patel b Mooney 5
N Kumar c Wilson b Van der Merwe 19
R Gunasekera c Wilson b Van der Merwe 11
Z Siddiqui b Eaglestone 19
J Hansra c Wilson b Mooney 20
R Cheema c S Poynter b Eaglestone 97
H Tariq c Mooney b Van der Merwe 34
K Chohan b Dockrell 5
H Baidwan c S Poynter b Dockrell 29
M Aluakh not out 11
Z Hussain c Van der Merwe b Dockrell 0
Extras(b5, nb2) 7
Total(all out, 49 ovs) 257
Fall of wickets:1-6, 2-36, 3-45, 4-66, 5-126, 6-183, 7-210, 8-238, 9-257.
Bowling:J Mooney 8-1-45-2; P Eaglestone 9-1-50-2; A van der Merwe 14-3-61-3; G Dockrell 15-2-90-3; A Cusack 1-0-3-0; A White 2-0-3-0.
Ireland won by an innings and 11 runs.