Ireland 180-4 (19 ovs) (Curtis Campher 72no, George Dockrell 32no; Michael Leask 1-16) beat Scotland 176-5 (20 ovs) (Michael Jones 86; Curtis Campher 2-9) by six wickets. Scorecard here.
This time last year, Curtis Campher was Ireland’s golden arm. Golden bat doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but that’s what he was on Wednesday in Ireland’s six-wicket win over Scotland in Hobart – a result which keeps their T20 World Cup survival intact for another game at least.
After taking four wickets in as many balls to almost single-handedly win a game against the Netherlands at last year’s World Cup, Campher was at it again, only this time with the bat. His career-best innings of 72 not out off 32 balls was the dominant effort in an unbeaten, match-winning partnership of 119 with George Dockrell (39 not out off 27).
[ Curtis Campher takes four wickets in four balls as Ireland beat NetherlandsOpens in new window ]
In the space of less than 10 overs, the duo combined to take Ireland from the edge of defeat at 61 for four – in pursuit of 177 – to an unlikely victory after Scotland’s wickets early in their fielding stint plus Michael Jones’s superb knock of 86 put them in the ascendancy.
“I’m really fortunate and grateful it’s my day again,” said Campher. “I must say the crowd played a massive part in batting there – feeding off them it was amazing.
“A lot of the community has come over from Irish cricket and it’s been amazing the way that they’ve actually lifted us and been there for us.”
Campher’s career strike-rate before Wednesday was 114. On Wednesday, it was almost double at 225; he has never scored his runs as quickly.
Given his more accomplished record in the longer, 50-over format which better suits what was thought to be Campher’s slower style, few would have seen such an innings in the pipeline for the YMCA man. However, his role in this Ireland side often limits his ability to display his boundary options.
He’s the man for the crisis, usually sent in at number five, often when the spinners are on or when wickets have fallen early to protect power hitters Dockrell and Mark Adair who are more dangerous at the end against pace.
Consequently, he does not take as many risks with his stroke-play in a selfless bid to set the game up for more powerful batters. Wednesday was his turn, proving he too could find the boundary rope almost at will. It must have been sweet to be the one to cash in on his own hard graft for once.
“I don’t care who it is,” said Campher. “My role is to set the platform for the big dogs to come home and finish it. I’m really happy with the clarity that Heinrich [Malan, head coach] and Gary [Wilson, batting coach] have given me in terms of that role.”
[ Curtis Campher puts on a Braves face as he moves on from T20 disappointmentOpens in new window ]
Such clarity was on display in how Campher and Dockrell decided which bowlers each would target. Unsurprisingly given his strength against slow bowling, Campher swept, reverse-swept and paddled Scotland’s much-vaunted spin attack at will – none more so than their go-to bowler Mark Watt, his 13th over which cost 18 runs was the game’s turning point.
Dockrell, on the other hand, took on his preferred matchup by launching seamers Brad Wheal and Josh Davey through his usual strong area down the ground.
Not that Campher missed out against pace, his maximum over mid-wicket off Wheal and boundary into the sight screen off Safyaan Sharif showing a power element heretofore hidden on the international stage.
Scotland skipper Richie Berrington admitted the complementary skills of the pair caused headaches with bowling plans and field placings; change one thing to target one batter, and he was only playing into the strengths of the other.
“I score a lot of my runs square of the wicket and he [Dockrell] hits the ball straight so it’s quite hard to bowl to both of us,” explained Campher. “You’re bowling to two different areas at the same time, so it’s really nice to have that.
“With the ground dimensions it kind of suits me with the smaller square boundaries – I can manipulate the field that way. So yeah, it just worked that way and feeding off the crowd’s energy and having George to talk through the processes, matchups and plans worked really well.”
The phenomenal fightback overshadows Campher’s performance with the ball, taking two for nine off just two overs. Questions will be asked as to why he didn’t bowl more given figures elsewhere.
Regardless, thanks to such a calculated chase, Ireland are still in with a shout of qualifying for the Super 12s. West Indies’ victory over Zimbabwe means all four sides in Group B have one win to their name heading to the final day of play on Friday.
That is if a middling weather forecast doesn’t interfere. As things stand, Ireland are bottom of the group on net run-rate, meaning a washout is no good to them – they have to get a game in.
Should the weather play ball, such a state of affairs leaves a straight shoot-out; whoever wins their remaining game goes through.
The West Indies stand between a rejuvenated Ireland and an extended stay in Australia.
