The Irish and Afghan cricketers were again relegated to the bowling greens and tennis courts at the Leinster club in Rathmines yesterday after the second day of their Intercontinental Cup clash was abandoned due to a waterlogged outfield.
An area just off the square was of most concern to the umpires, who made their decision after a 3.30pm inspection.
The two sides will return to the ground at 10.30am this morning, although the appetite to start the game may be diminished as much by the vagaries of the points system in the first-class competition as the forecast.
A complete abandonment would see both sides awarded 10 points each, while if play got under way and the game ended as a draw, seven points are awarded to each side as over 10 hours of playing time has been lost in the match. If enough playing time was available to play one innings per side, a team could earn a maximum of 13 points by taking the six on offer for a first-innings lead. – EMMET RIORDAN
Cléirigh Buttner battles hard for semi-final place
Siofra Cléirigh Buttner battled her way into the semi-finals of the women’s 800 metres on the opening day of the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, but it was an otherwise mixed start for the Irish.
The Dundrum youngster needed to finish in third or better to qualify, and in a great tussle with South African Thato Makhafola held on for an excellent third in 2:05.87.
However, neither Seán Tobin nor Ruairí Finnegan could progress from highly-competitive 1,500m heats. Tobin finished a credible sixth in a time of 3:49.11, while Finnegan looked more disappointed with his effort, finishing 10th in the third heat in 3:53.95.
Vroon continues unstoppable form
Day two of Cork Week saw fresher winds blow mixed fortunes for the 101-boat fleet competing off Roche’s Point. However, there was little change for Piet Vroon’s Tonnerre de Breskens in class zero where another pair of race wins matched Monday’s results and the Dutch boat appears unstoppable.
Improving form for Anthony O’Leary’s Antix saw the recently re-optimised Ker 39-footer deliver a fourth and a second place yesterday as the Crosshaven boat takes aim at Michael Bartholomew’s Tokoloshe from South Africa, currently second in the class.
Richard Goransson’s Inga from Sweden was dislodged from the overall lead of class after Howth’s Norbert Reilly lodged a protest following a mark-rounding incident in the second race of the day.
The visitor was disqualified from third place in the race which allowed Royal Cork's Conor Phelan on Jump Juice to move into first place while the Dublin boat moved from third to second overall in the 15 boat class. – DAVID BRANIGAN
Eye injury forces Boucher to retire from international game
Veteran South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday after undergoing eye surgery following a severe injury picked up in his side’s opening game of their England tour.
Boucher suffered a laceration to his left eyeball after being struck by a bail during the game against Somerset in Taunton on Monday.
“It is with sadness, and in some pain, that I make this announcement. Due to the severity of my eye injury, I will not be able to play international cricket again,” Boucher said in a statement read out by team captain Graeme Smith.
“I had never anticipated announcing my retirement now, but circumstances have dictated differently.”
Boucher suffered the freakish injury when he was keeping wicket to leg-spinner Imran Tahir during a warm-up match for the three-match Test series against England, which gets underway next week.
Galbraith leads way with Ireland poised for quarters
Ireland are poised to grab a quarter-final spot in the European Boys team championship in Sweden today.
Going into the second and final day of qualifying over the Lindigo course they are handily placed in joint-fifth position.
Whitehead’s John-Ross Galbraith led the way with an excellent level-par 70, followed by Alex Gleeson (71) and Gavin Moynihan (72).
With five of the six cards counting the Irish posted a 12-over-par 362 total but they cannot afford any slip-ups today as Scotland, France and Norway are breathing down their necks.
A superb two-under-par 70 by Leona Maguire over the St Leon Rot course in Germany yesterday kept Ireland in contention for a first-flight place in the European Girls team championship.
Her twin sister Lisa birdied three of the last four holes despite double bogeying the 17th as she posted a highly-creditable 72. Ireland are on 375, 15 over par in 11th position.
