IRELAND forgot everything that coach Mike Hendrick drilled into them over the past two years as they presented Scotland with third place in the ICC Trophy yesterday and with it a ticket to the 1999 World Cup finals.
A Duckworth-Lewis calculated target of 192 from 45 overs to beat Scotland's 187 for eight was well within the compass of a side that boasts Derek Heasley at seven and Garfield Harrison two places lower.
Alas, as England have sometimes found when packing the batting order, everyone thinks someone else will get the runs and nobody does. Ireland's reply began entirely predictably with a towering six from Decker Curry followed by his dismissal to an injudicious stroke.
Andy Patterson quickly followed, feeling for a delivery that may just have left him, but there was little worry in the Ireland camp until Alan Lewis attempted a pick-up off his legs and deposited the ball into the hands of deep backward square.
Suddenly it became catching practice for Scotland as Neil Doak swept one in the same direction, Justin Benson tried long on by way of variation, and Angus Dunlop, after majestically striking his first delivery straight for six, tried to check a shot and was caught at cover. Wickets continued to tumble but, with the score ticking along, when Mark Patterson joined Harrison their task was less daunting in terms of runs per over than it had been against the USA.
There was to be no repeat heroics, though, with Patterson picking out deep backward square with all the precision of a batsman much higher up the order, and Harrison lamely prodding a catch to mid-off to end the debacle 51 runs short on 141.
Hendrick, who is devoted to the cause of Ireland cricket, was distraught with the performance.
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