CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
IT WAS a case of wallow no more at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, South Africa, yesterday as Ireland got their World Cup qualifying campaign off on a resoundingly positive note with a seven-wicket hammering of arch rivals Scotland.
The Scots have had the hex on Ireland in this competition: the pain of missing out on the 1999 World Cup after a play-off loss still resonates for a generation of players and supporters here.
This group of players have their own store of bad memories from the disastrous qualifying campaign in Canada in 2001 and a final defeat on home soil in Clontarf four years ago.
They banished those nightmares yesterday as they chased down their target of 233 with ease, thanks in the main to a barnstorming century from skipper William Porterfield and a half-century for Eoin Morgan, playing in an Ireland shirt for the first time in over a year.
It could even have been more comprehensive, as Scotland recovered from 24 for four in the early stages after Porterfield had won the toss and decided to make use of a green-tinged track.
Boyd Rankin’s height has been earmarked to cause most damage on the hard South African decks, and the 6ft 8in Warwickshire player removed former England player Gavin Hamilton and Scottish skipper Ryan Watson in his first two overs.
Opening partner Peter Connell chipped in with the scalps of Navdeep Poonia and Colin Smith to leave the Scots reeling and the Irish contemplating an afternoon by the pool.
Neil McCallum had other plans, though, and the 31-year-old dug his side out of a hole in spectacular fashion, scoring his second One Day International century, both coming against Ireland.
He should never have made it to three figures as he was dropped twice before going on to finish unbeaten on 121, sharing in a blistering, eighth-wicket stand of 56 from just 31 balls with Jan Stander.
From the off at the crease, Porterfield signalled his intent to take the attack, hitting a four and a six off consecutive balls in Dewald Nel’s opening over.
Joined by fellow left-hander Eoin Morgan after Gary Wilson was bowled for 14, the pair rattled along to bring up the 100 in just 15 overs, with Porterfield passing the 50 mark off just 35 deliveries and the 100 partnership coming from 84.
Morgan hit three sixes in bringing up his own half-century, before the Middlesex player departed for 61 following a second-wicket partnership of 131, scored in under 20 overs.
Porterfield would go on to score his third One Day International century and fifth in total for Ireland, before being bowled for 101.
It was left to Niall O’Brien and Andre Botha to knock off the runs as Ireland got home with a massive 12 overs to spare.
Ireland continue their campaign this morning against an Oman team that lost their opening Group A fixture to Canada by 103 runs.
GROUP A
(at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, South Africa)
Ireland won the toss and fielded.
SCOTLAND
G Hamilton b Rankin 1
R Watson c Johnston b Rankin 7
K Coetzer c Morgan b K O’Brien 29
N Poonia c Botha b Connell 2
C Smith c Botha b Connell 0
N McCallum not out 121
C Wright c Wilson b Cusack 19
M Iqbal run out (Johnston) 6
J Stander not out 22
Extras (lb10, nb1, w14) 25
––––––
Total (for 7 wkts, 50 overs) 232
Did not bat: C MacLeod, D Nel.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-14, 3-22, 4-24, 5-68, 6-154, 7-176.
Bowling: P Connell 10-2-51-2; B Rankin 10-1-27-2; T Johnston 10-2-32-0; K O’Brien 7-0-40-1; R West 8-1-31-0; A Cusack 5-0-41-1.
IRELAND
W Porterfield b Wright 101
G Wilson b MacLeod 14
E Morgan b Watson 61
N O’Brien not out 25
A Botha not out 15
Extras (lb2, w15) 17
–––––
Total (for 3 wkts, 37.4 overs) 233
Did not bat: K O’Brien, A Cusack, T Johnston, R West, P Connell, B Rankin.
Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-174, 3-205.
Bowling: D Nel 6.4-0-44-0; C MacLeod 7-0- 30-1; C Wright 5-0-49-1; R Watson 10-0-45-1; J Stander 3-0-18-0; M Iqbal 6-0-45-0.
Ireland won by 7 wkts.
Man of the Match: William Porterfield.
Other results – Group A: Canada bt Oman by 103 runs; Uganda bt Namibia by 6 wkts. Group B: Netherlands bt Kenya by 7 wkts; UAE bt Bermuda by 4 wkts; Afghanistan bt Denmark by 5 wkts.
