CRICKET:IRELAND MOVED into 10th position on the ICC one-day standings as they continued their domination over the Netherlands with a comprehensive 70-run victory in the opening RSA Challenge match in Clontarf yesterday.
A fine maiden century from opener Gary Wilson provided the perfect backbone to a strong Ireland batting performance that saw Paul Stirling (40) share an 82-run opening stand with the Surrey player, while Wilson and Alex Cusack (45) added 118 for the second wicket.
Kevin O’Brien hit 26 from 22 balls late on but the inevitable fall of wickets as Ireland chased 300 saw them finish on 275 for six.
With rain already falling as the sides came back on the pitch after the interval, the Dutch knew they had to get runs on the board in the event of Duckworth Lewis entering the equation. The other part of the formula involves not losing wickets but an inspired opening spell from O’Brien saw the Dutch fall to 66 for three and they were 26 runs shy of their D/L target when the minimum 20 overs were bowled, O’Brien taking three for 18 from eight overs.
Ireland’s one real concern came in the shape of Tom Cooper, the Australian-born player who qualifies through his Dutch mother. The 23-year-old right-hander was showing the kind of form that earned him a contract with South Australia, breezing to 50 off 48 deliveries and looking well set to follow, and even overshadow, Wilson’s earlier knock.
The problem for the Dutch was the haemorrhaging of wickets at the other end as Ireland’s quartet of spinners made the breakthroughs. The Hills’ Albert van der Merwe had accounted for Bas Zuiderent, caught by Andrew Poynter at long-off for 16, before the off-spinner claimed the prize scalp of Cooper for 68 in his next over when Wilson stumped him after he waltzed down the pitch to leave the Dutch 115 for five.
Andrew White showed he is still a viable option with the ball as the Instonians player took the next four wickets to fall with his off-spinners to give him his best ODI figures of four for 44. Included in his haul was Mudassar Bukhari, who hit two sixes in an enterprising knock of 29 before holing out to a fine running catch from Nigel Jones on the boundary. White held a return catch off his own bowling to dismiss Mauritz Jonkman before George Dockrell struck with the first ball of his second spell, bowling Adeel Raja for six to wrap up the innings on 205.
The day belonged to Wilson on his 88th appearance, with the 24-year-old racing from a 97-ball 50 to bring up his century in a further 42 balls before departing for 113 with five overs left in the innings. There was to be no nervous 90s for the player but there were for his father, George, who let out the loudest cheer when his son edged two runs through the slip area to move to three figures.
The sides meet again tomorrow at the same venue, where a second Ireland victory would put them in sight of Bangladesh in ninth position.
Clontarf scoreboard
The Netherlands won the toss and fielded.
IRELAND
G Wilson c Kruger b Seelaar 113
P Stirling run out 40
A Cusack c Cooper b Seelaar 45
K OBrien c Cooper b Bukhari 26
J Mooney b Jonkman 11
T Johnston c Seelaar b Jonkman 10
N Jones not out 5
A Poynter not out 0
Extras (b4, lb7, nb1, w13) 25
–––
Total(for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 275
Did not bat: A White, A van der Merwe, G Dockrell.
Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-200, 3-231, 4-246, 5-269, 6-273.
Bowling: M Bukhari 10-1-50-1; A Raja 10-0-51-0; B Kruger 7-0-43-0; Mauritz Jonkman 6-0-35-2; P Borren 7-0-32-0; P Seelaar 10-0-53-2.
NETHERLANDS
E Szwarczynski b OBrien 10
T Heggelman c Poynter b OBrien 2
T Cooper st Wilson b Van der Merwe 68
W Barresi c Cusack b OBrien 9
B Zuiderent c Poynter b Van der Merwe 16
P Borren c Cusack b A White 7
M Bukhari c Jones b White 29
B Kruger lbw b White 9
P Seelaar not out 34
Mauritz Jonkman cb White 7
A Raja b Dockrell 6
Extras (lb5, w3) 8
–––
Total(all out, 45.1 ovs) 205
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-22, 3-66, 4-100, 5-115, 6-123, 7-157, 8-160, 9-177.
Bowling: K OBrien 8-2-18-3; T Johnston 4-0-20-0; N Jones 2-0-21-0; G Dockrell 6.1-0-31-1; A van der Merwe 7-0-31-2; A White 10-0-44-4; P Stirling 8-0-35-0.
Ireland won by 70 runs.
