Ireland bow out but Simmons is happy with progress

CRICKET IRELAND v NORTHAMPTONSHIRE:IRELAND LOST their last eight wickets for just 42 runs as Northamptonshire, or should that be South Africa, eased to a 99-run victory in yesterday's final Friends Provident Trophy group game in Clontarf. Their hopes of making the quarter-finals were dashed though as Leicestershire beat Nottinghamshire by 13 runs on Duckworth Lewis.

The Steelbacks included six South Africans in their side and between them they accounted for almost 90 per cent of the runs scored off the bat and nine of the Irish wickets that fell.

Andrew Hall, who has taken a liking to playing Ireland, had another fine innings with the bat. The 32-year-old's unbeaten 67 saved South Africa in last year's World Cup warm-up game in Trinidad, and this time around he hit 72 off 101 balls to backbone Northants's innings of 205. Even still, Ireland would have fancied their chances of chasing that total after their encouraging display in the one-run defeat to Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Monday.

A bright start brought them to 64 for two in the 18th over, but once Alex Cusack was adjudged lbw to Nicky Boje for nine it was all downhill as they were bowled out for 106 in the 37th over. James Hall top-scored with 27, with fellow opener Reinhardt Strydom the only other Ireland batsman to make it into double figures. Sadly extras ended up as top-scorer, with Northants conceding 33.

With rain threatening all afternoon, Ireland needed to keep up with the Duckworth Lewis score, something which Ireland coach Phil Simmons alluded to afterwards. "I'm not too hard on the players because we had an eye on the Duckworth Lewis at all times and we had to keep up with it. We were up with it but then started to lose wickets, so it's always going to put you in trouble. I think the players learned that lesson today," said Simmons.

Skipper Kyle McCallan had put the visitors in after winning his second straight toss, and Ravi Rampaul struck with the last ball of the fifth over, Paul Stirling taking a fine catch at second slip to remove Stephen Peters for five. Kevin O'Brien wrested back family bragging rights with the next ball bowled, Fintan McAllister taking a blinder diving to his left to see the end of Niall O'Brien for five.

Kevin O'Brien claimed his second scalp to dismiss David Sales for seven, with a sharp catch from Cusack at point, before the Clontarf player had Robert White caught at the wicket for six as Northants were reduced to 55 for four in the 15th over.

Riki Wessels hit Rampaul for two sixes before being run out for 36 after good work from Stirling, while Northants skipper Nicky Boje made just four before he was bowled by Gary Kidd to leave the score on 115 for six.

All the while Hall stood his ground, bringing up his 50 off 74 balls with a six off Kidd. The left-arm spinner was to have his revenge late on, bowling him for 72 in a fine spell that left him with figures of two for 33 off his 10 overs. Some late hitting from Johann van der Wath pushed Northants over the 200 mark, with Cusack ending their innings with two balls left when he ran out Jason Brown.

Simmons believes the competition has been very useful as he tries to develop a strong squad for key competitions later in the summer.

Quarter-final draw: Kent v Somerset; Durham v Nottinghamshire; Gloucestershire v Yorkshire; Leicestershire v Essex. Ties to be played Wednesday, June 4th.

Scoreboard

Northamptonshire: Innings:

S D Peters c Stirling b Rampaul 5

N J O'Brien c McAllister b K J O'Brien 5

A J Hall b Kidd 72

D J G Sales c Cusack b K J O'Brien 7

R A White c McAllister b Cusack 6

M H Wessels run out 36

N Boje b Kidd 4

L Klusener c K J O'Brien b McCallan 14

J J van der Wath not out 29

J Louw c A R White b Rampaul 11

J F Brown run out 2

Extras b1 lb5 w8 14

Total (49.4 overs) 205

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-11, 3-38, 4-55, 5-108, 6-115, 7-154, 8-159, 9-193.

Bowling: Rampaul 10-0-61-2; K J O'Brien 7-0-34-2; Cusack 7.4-0-18-1; Fourie 6-0-26-0; Kidd 10-0-33-2; McCallan 9-0-27-1.

Ireland: Innings:

R Strydom b van der Wath 11

J D Hall lbw b Klusener 27

P R Stirling c N J O'Brien b van der Wath 4

A R Cusack lbw b Boje 9

A R White b Klusener 2

K J O'Brien b Boje 4

W K McCallan c Wessels b Boje 2

F P McAllister run out 8

R Rampaul lbw b Brown 1

T Fourie not out 1

G E Kidd c and b Boje 4

Extras b9 lb5 w19 33

Total (36.4 overs) 106

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-37, 3-64, 4-68, 5-71, 6-77, 7-88, 8-90, 9-101.

Bowling: van der Wath 8-1-21-2; Louw 7-1-28-0; Hall 1-0-5-0; Klusener 8-5-20-2; Boje 8.4-2-12-4; Brown 4-0-6-1.

Umpires: J H Evans and M J Harris.

Northamptonshire won by 99 runs.