CRICKET: Ireland have made the most of what little playing time the weather has allowed so far in their InterContinental Cup match against Namibia at Clontarf, establishing a strong position going into day three today.
Despite the chilly, windy conditions, play started on time at 10.30am, and, knowing that rain would undoubtedly arrive at some stage, Ireland's bowlers set on the Namibian batsmen like vultures who know they are about to be chased from a carcass by hungry hyenas.
And it is fair to say they managed to get their fill. Captain Trent Johnston was the most successful, taking six for 23, as Namibia were all out for just 95 off less than 33 overs. And by the time the rain did come in mid-afternoon, Ireland had moved on to 78 for 3, just 18 runs short of winning the first innings points.
Namibia lost by an innings and 65 runs to Scotland in Aberdeen last week, and it looks like rain is the only thing that can save them here. But with two days remaining, there is still time for Ireland to get the outright win they need.
When he won the toss, Johnston had no hesitation in having a bowl first on a wicket that looked grassy and weather conditions that favoured his side's medium pace attack. From the first over, the ball was darting around on the green-top and swinging prodigiously.
But the conditions alone were never going to dismiss Namibia, and Ireland had to put the ball in the right areas. They duly obliged and soon had the Africans reeling at 24 for 5 and then 52 for 7. Only Kola Burger approached his batting positively for Namibia. He hit some fine, clean boundaries, including two huge straight sixes last seen heading into Killester, before holing out to debutant William Porterfield on the cover boundary. His 39 runs came off just 20 balls.
Spare a thought, though, for Andre Botha. Not only did he end up wicketless but, having conceded just two runs in his first eight overs, he then went for 28 in his ninth as Burger went berserk, hitting four sixes and a four off deliveries that were not, by any means, loose.
Paul Mooney (2-16) also bowled well in his first game for Ireland since sustaining an ankle injury during the semi-final of this competition against UAE last October, while David Langford-Smith (1-15) generated good pace, cleaning up the stumps of Deon Kotze in the process.
But it was the skipper who took the accolades, registering his best figures for Ireland and becoming the first Irishman to capture six wickets in an innings since Conor Hoey took 6 for 19 against Mashonaland Country Districts during a 1991 tour of Zimbabwe.
Ireland's batting got off to a shaky start, losing Jeremy Bray (3) and Porterfield (10) with the score on just 16. But Eoin Morgan and Botha showed that while it is not an easy track to bat on, with a little patience it is possible to build an innings. But Botha fell to a wonderful diving catch at point by Kotze having made 34 well-compiled runs. By the time rain swept in during the tea interval Morgan had moved on to 23 not out with Dominick Joyce unbeaten at the other end on 8.
Play resumes this morning, weather permitting, at 10.30.
