CRICKET/ WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: IRELAND ROARED into the Super Eights stage of the World Cup qualifiers on the back of a routine seven-wicket victory over Namibia at the Wits University ground in Johannesburg yesterday.
It made it a clean sweep of five victories in Group A for Phil Simmons’s side, who top the table going into the second stage and leaves them firmly in pole position to claim one of the four available places in the 2011 World Cup.
Top spot brings its own advantages as Ireland will play the two lesser qualifiers in the first two games before taking on Group B heavyweights Kenya and the Netherlands. Indeed, they may even have booked their World Cup passage by that stage, and will meet a Dutch side missing star turn Ryan ten Doeschate.
Half-centuries from skipper William Porterfield and Niall O’Brien paved the way yesterday as Ireland chased down a target of 214 against Namibia to ensure that they start the second phase of the competition with a two-point advantage.
Porterfield went for 84 with the victory line in sight, with O’Brien remaining unbeaten on 64 as Ireland wrapped up victory with five overs to spare. The pair put together a partnership of 101 for the third wicket after Eoin Morgan went for 42.
Ireland will open their Super Eights campaign on Saturday with a game against an Afghanistan side that they easily saw off in a warm-up match.
