CRICKET WORLD TWENTY20 QUALIFIER:IRELAND PUT a smile back on their faces at the happy hunting ground of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium yesterday as they trounced the USA by 78 runs to put their campaign back on track at the World Twenty20 qualifiers.
The ground that rises dramatically out of the desert Emirate had seen Ireland rack up their best score in first-class cricket, when they made 578 for five against the UAE.
Yesterday, Phil Simmons’s side put the the disappointment of their opening Group A loss to Afghanistan behind them to smash their way to an Irish Twenty20 record score of 202 for four, thanks in the main to a brilliant knock of 84 from Niall O’Brien, itself a new mark for the country.
The American reply was decimated by Ireland’s opening bowlers. Peter Connell had a change of luck as he set yet another record with four wickets for 14 off his four overs.
Trent Johnston took two for 17 at the other end to reduce the USA to 25 for six in the seventh over as Ireland set about boosting their net run rate.
The seventh-wicket pairing of Aditya Thyagarajan (72 not out) and Orlando Baker (28 not out) helped the US back towards respectability with a fine unbeaten stand of 99 that will concern Simmons as they batted out their 20 overs to finish on 124 for six.
O’Brien was named man of the match for his innings, his third half-century of the tour, while skipper William Porterfield continued his fine form with the bat, putting on 83 for the first wicket with O’Brien before he departed for 45 off 28 balls.
O’Brien brought up his 50 off 32 deliveries with a massive six over long-on, but he perished with three figures in sight when he top-edged to third man after a second-wicket partnership of 89 from 51 balls with Alex Cusack.
Earlier Afghanistan beat Scotland by 14 runs to all but end their chances of qualifying for the Super Fours ahead of the meeting with Ireland in Dubai at noon today, Irish time.
The result means the Afghans have one foot in the last four and, barring an unlikely sequence of results, they will go through.
Ireland lie second on run rate and will need to lose heavily to the Scots and for Afghanistan to lose to the USA not to make the last four.
At Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Ireland won the toss and batted.
IRELAND
W Porterfield c Wright b Verma 45
N O'Brien c Dhaniram b Allen 84
A Cusack c Wright b Allen 46
K O'Brien c Thyagarajan b Cush 3
T Johnston not out 12
G Wilson not out 5
Extras (b1, lb5, w1)7
–––––
Total (for 4 wkts, 20 ovs)202
Did not bat: A Botha, A White, J Mooney, P Connell, G Dockrell.
Fall of wickets: 1-83, 2-172, 3-177, 4-186.
Bowling: K Darligton 4-0-46-0; K Shuja 2-0-17-0; O Baker 1-0-14-0; L Cush 4-0-36-1; S Dhaniram 4-0-31-0; T Allen 3-0-29-2; S Vermah 2-0-29-1.
USA
C Wright lbw b Connell 2
R Marshall c N O'Brien b Connell 0
L Cush c Mooney b Connell 2
S Dhaniram c Botha b Johnston 0
S Massiah lbw b Johnston 0
T Allen c Cusack b Connell 6
A Thyagarajan not out 72
O Baker not out 28
Extras (lb3, nb1, w10) 14
–––––
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 ovs)124
Did not bat: U Shuja, S Verna, K Darlington.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-6, 3-7, 4-8, 5-11, 6-25,
Bowling: P Connell 4-0-14-4; T Johnston 4-0-17-2; A Botha 4-0-25-0; G Dockrell 4-0-42-0; A White 4-0-23-0.
Ireland won by 78 runs.
