Cricket:Ireland bounced back in admirable fashion to beat Kenya by a massive 117 runs in the today's second World Cup qualifier in Mombasa.
Having lost Saturday’s opening game by seven wickets, Ireland’s bowlers came good as they defended a total of 237 for nine.
Ed Joyce took the man of the match honours for his innings of 88 from 124 balls, a vital knock that helped Ireland recover from 126 for five in the 34th over to set a competitive total.
Ireland’s bowlers could only manage two wickets in Saturday’s defeat, but a much improved showing today saw them bowl the African side out for just 120, with four bowlers taking two wickets each.
Trent Johnston took the key wicket of Tanmay Mishra, who followed his unbeaten 70 on Saturday, with just two runs today, while Clontarf all-rounder Alex Cusack took two wickets in the space of just five deliveries to reduce Kenya to 37 for five at one stage.
Kenya put on 36 runs for the next wicket before Ireland’s spinners made the breakthrough, with left-armer George Dockrell taking two wickets in four deliveries before off-spinner Paul Stirling trumped him with two in two to reduce the home side to 114 for nine.
Stirling missed out on the hat-trick ball at the start of his next over, but the game was wrapped up when Kevin O’Brien through back to the bowler to run out Shem Ngoche off the next ball.
Ireland now switch to the third discipline of the trip, with the first of three Twenty20 matches taking place on Wednesday.
SCORES
Ireland 237-9 (50 ovs)
E Joyce 88, A White 28, J Mooney 23no, P Stirling 23; H Varaiya 3-46, S Ngoche 2-48
Kenya 120 (35.2 ovs)
S Ngoche 28; A Cusack 2-13, T Johnston 2-14, G Dockrell 2-18, P Stirling 2-32
Ireland won by 117 runs.
