CRICKET ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL:IT WAS almost Ashes to ashes, flush to bust for England in Belfast yesterday as Ireland got within a whisker of pulling off a dramatic victory in the RSA Challenge One-Day International.
In the end it will go down in the record books as a three-run victory to Paul Collingwood’s side, but that tells you little of the drama that unfolded on a day when the four seasons came into play.
Having restricted England to 203 for nine from their 50 overs, Ireland were set a revised target of 116 in 20 overs after a three-hour rain delay in the afternoon.
Despite losing openers William Porterfield for four and Niall O’Brien for 12, they got themselves into a good position of 64 for two in the ninth over thanks to a fine third-wicket partnership between Andre Botha and teenager Paul Stirling.
Still a week shy of his 19th birthday, Stirling showed little regard for his opponents by hitting Ryan Sidebottom straight back over his head for four and Collingwood into the stand for Ireland’s only six.
After putting on 39 though, Botha would depart lbw to Graeme Swann for 15, while Stirling departed five balls later for 30 when he popped up an easy return catch to Adil Rashid to leave Ireland on 66 for four.
Even still there was plenty of batting left in the hutch, and needing just 50 runs off 54 balls they were still in the box seat.
Yet again, though, spin proved the difference, with Swann and Rashid playing second fiddle to the occasional off-spin of Owais Shah, who took three for two in his first two overs.
Nine wickets down and needing 17 to win from the final over and with one wicket remaining it was a time for heroes and Ireland had two at the wicket in Trent Johnston and Kyle McCallan.
Johnston, on his 100th appearance for Ireland, had earlier taken four wickets for just 26 runs and now faced Shah. After a two and two singles, Johnston hit the fourth ball to the boundary fence to leave Ireland needing nine from the last two balls.
Needing a six, Johnston clubbed the next delivery towards the long-on boundary.
Cue the final dramatic twist in the match. Former Ireland player Eoin Morgan, on as sub-fielder, was waiting on the rope and managed to leap in the air and palm the ball back into play, with Ireland’s batsmen awarded just a single after being called one-short.
With the game up, Johnston would hit the final ball to the boundary to finish unbeaten on 20, but Ireland cruelly three-runs short. Earlier, Ireland fielded and bowled with incredible intent and purpose, to restricted England to 203 for nine from their 50 overs.
On a seamer’s track, Johnston was ably assisted by Andre Botha and Alex Cusack, who chipped in with two apiece, while outstanding catches from John Mooney, two-handed diving full length, and Kevin O’Brien kept up the pressure.
England had left Morgan out of their side, with Jonathan Trott, Rashid and Joe Denly coming into the side to make their one-day international debuts.
It was Kent batsman Denly who played the steady hand after Johnston had removed Ravi Bopara and Trott, without scoring.
The 23-year-old opener had made an unbeaten century on this ground for his county two years ago and he looked right at home again as he finished top-scorer with 67, while Luke Wright made a quick 36 from 26 balls to get England past the 200 mark.
