CRICKET:IRELAND'S UNBEATEN Intercontinental Cup record dried up in the intense heat here yesterday as the incredible rise of Afghanistan in the world game continued apace in an emphatic, seven-wicket win.
It also leaves Ireland’s chances of completing a fourth-straight win in the first-class competition hanging by a thread as their six-year, 18-game run came to an end.
A failure of the bowlers to rein in the extravagant shot-making of the Afghans on Saturday saw them claim the six points for a first-innings advantage, while a batting collapse in yesterday’s morning session sowed the seeds of Ireland’s decline.
Trailing by 69 runs after Afghanistan posted a competition record total against Ireland of 474, openers William Porterfield and Gary Wilson had survived a tricky, 14-over spell on Saturday to more than half the deficit as they closed on 39 for no wicket.
The consensus held that a draw was the likely outcome, but that didn’t take in to account the determination of the Afghan players to secure a second win over Ireland in two meetings.
Seamer Dawlat Ahmadzai found an extra yard of pace on a drying pitch to induce Porterfield to snick one to the wicketkeeper after making 17, while Alex Cusack received a pearler from the same bowler that cartwheeled his leg stump.
Ahmadzai struck again to see off Gary Wilson for 27 before parity had been restored, and Ireland were in desperate need for their middle order to stick around and run down the overs.
It wasn’t to be, with Andre Botha’s breezy knock of 27 the only innings of note as four of Ireland’s top seven batsmen failed to make it to double figures.
That left the score on 101, a meagre lead of 32. Yet again in Ireland’s hour of need it was Trent Johnston (63 not out) who battled hardest against a wearing deck and a fired-up opposition as he looked to save the day.
A stand of 40 with John Mooney (18) for the eighth wicket stretched the lead, while also using up valuable overs, but Ahmadzai was to claim his fourth scalp when Mooney was trapped leg-before.
He would bag a five-for when Gary Kidd fell the same way for a duck, before Johnston and Peter Connell put together the second half-century last-wicket stand of the match, adding 59 runs as Ireland were all out for 202.
That left Afghanistan needing 134 in 34 overs, only for Johnston to renew hope of an implausible victory when he struck with his first ball to remove Karim Sadiq.
But Ireland’s weakened attack was to prove no match for Afghanistan’s array of natural stroke-makers. Noor Ali hit a half-century and Mohammad Shazhad an unbeaten 44 as they got home 15 balls to spare.
Ireland move to Colombo tomorrow where they will take part in a training camp ahead of a Twenty20 Quadrangular that includes Afghanistan, Canada and Sri Lanka A.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Under-19 side were battling it out with Canada in the early hours of this morning for a place in the Plate Final at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
A fine knock of 65 from Paul Stirling helped book their place in the semi-finals as they beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in a rain-reduced match on Saturday.
