CRICKET/ICC Trophy: Ireland continued their journey towards qualification for the 2007 World Cup on Saturday with a comfortable victory over Uganda at Comber that puts them top of Section A.
Even though skipper Jason Molins lost the toss - his first defeat in that part of the game in seven matches, incidentally - it is likely that he would have batted first anyway. Such is the strength in Ireland's batting line-up, the idea is to try and bat the weaker teams out of the game by posting a huge total.
It worked, on Friday in the 97-run win over Bermuda, but Uganda presented a much sterner test to Ireland's run-makers than that. Kenneth Kamyuka bowled a superb line early on, claiming the wicket of Molins, and then came back well later in the innings taking three more wickets and ensuring Ireland only made it up to 231 for 8 off 50 overs.
Despite an excellent all-round bowling and fielding performance by the Ugandans, Ireland were disappointed with only getting to that total, when at one stage it looked like Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan were going to put on a partnership to rival the 170-run effort against Bermuda.
Having been brought together at 60 for 3, the Middlesex duo put on 57 before Joyce tried to pull a straight ball from Joel Olwenyi and was clean bowled for 40. It was not a bad score by most people's standards but when you are averaging around twice that in this competition, your aspirations tend to be a little higher than most.
Ireland lost wickets at the most inopportune moments, just when partnerships looked like developing into something that could post a big total.
Morgan was out for 39, Andy White top scored with 45 and Trent Johnston hit a few lusty blows in his 31, but at 232 to win, Uganda were not out of the game by half-time.
Not that the result was in doubt for long into the African's innings, however. Paul Mooney bowled with real venom, getting into a good rhythm almost from the first ball. Benjamin Musoke's stumps were rearranged in Mooney's first over with the score on just one and from that point, Uganda never threatened to make it a close affair. The only thing that looked like getting the better of Mooney were the stumps at his own end.
Such is his tendency to get so close to them during his bowling action that he often breaks them with his hand on the way through. After his man-of-the-match spell of 10 overs, 3-10, Mooney briefly left the field for attention to his battered hand but it is not thought to be serious.
Uganda were eventually all out for 104, with an entertaining but ultimately fruitless 59 from Frank Nsubuga .
Today at Stormont Ireland face what should be their biggest test to date against the 1994 champions UAE, who were surprisingly beaten by Bermuda on Saturday.
IRELAND
J Molins b Kamyuka 19
J Bray c Olwenyi b Ochan 25
A Botha c Patel b Kwebiha 8
E Joyce b Olwenyi 40
E Morgan c Kwebiha b Waiswa 39
A White c and b Kamyuka 45
T Johnston c Musoke b Kamyuka 31
D Joyce b Kamyuka 6
K McCallan not out 2
P Mooney not out 4
Extras (8lb, 1nb, 3w) 12
Total (for 8, 50 overs) 231
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-53, 3-60, 4-117, 5-151, 6-211, 7-225, 8-225.
Did not bat: A McCoubrey
Bowling: K Kamyuka 9-2-42-4, C Waiswa 8-1-39-1, P Ochan 6-1-24-1, J Kwebiha 9-0-55-1, F Nsubuga 9-1-37-0.
UGANDA
L Sematimba b Johnston 1
B Musoke b Mooney 0
B Nehal run out 4
J Olwenyi c Bray b Johnston 4
J Kwebiha c Bray b McCoubrey 11
N Patel lbw Mooney 1
K Legesi c Johnston b Mooney 1
F Nsubuga b McCallan 59
K Kamyuka c Molins b McCoubrey 6
P Ochan c McCallan b McCoubrey 4
C Waiswa not out 1
Extras (2lb, 7w, 3nb) 12
Total (all out, 32 overs) 104
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-4, 3-12, 4-20, 5-26, 6-28, 7-30, 8-42, 9-56
Bowling: Mooney 10-4-10-3, Johnston 5-0-18-2, McCoubrey 7-1-19-3, Botha 6-1-21-0, McCallan 4-1-34-1
Man of the match: Paul Mooney (Ireland)
Ireland won by 127 runs
• Denmark and Bermuda pulled off shock victories in Ireland's section of on Saturday, beating two of the fancied sides. Denmark posted an impressive total of 273 for 7 against the USA, thanks to a century from Frederick Klokker and the Americans never looked like chasing it, eventually all out for 177.
That win puts the Danes second in the section on run-rate behind Ireland. Bermuda, who were well beaten by the Irish on Friday, beat UAE, a side tipped to get through to the semi-finals, by 30 runs, also on Saturday.
As the third round of matches is played today, the section is wide open.
