Cricket:Ireland finally got one over Afghanistan at the P Sara Oval today as they won their opening game of the quadrangular series here in the Sri Lankan capital by five wickets.
Having lost in both 50-over and the recent four-day Intercontinental fixture against the rising force in the world game, today’s result will buoy Phil Simmons’s side ahead of the side’s meeting in the opening game of the World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Dubai next week.
Ireland named their strongest available XI for the clash, with Kevin O’Brien and Paul Stirling brought in in place of Phil Eaglestone and Nigel Jones.
Trent Johnston proved the hero with the ball as Ireland restricted the Afghans to 121 for nine from their 20 overs after they had won the toss and batted.
The former skipper took a wicket in each of his four overs to reduce Afghanistan to 49 for four, with his figures (4-22) spoiled late on as he was hit for three straight fours after taking a wicket with the first ball of his final over.
Left-arm spinner George Dockrell continued his dream start at senior international level with two wickets for just 11 runs in his four, while Andre Botha showed why he is the ideal death bowler as he finished with figures of three for 14.
Ireland were sharp in the field, with Gary Wilson holding two skiers off Dockrell’s bowling, while there were fine catches from Andrew White and Alex Cusack in difficult breezy conditions.
Ireland roared from the traps in reply with Niall O’Brien (18 from 13 balls) and skipper William Porterfield (46 from 30) setting the platform as they moved to 70 for two in the eighth over.
Andre Botha and Kevin O’Brien went cheaply as the middle order wobbled, but Paul Stirling played a steady hand, making 21 from 29 balls as he bid to work off the jet lag from his long journey from the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
With plenty of overs left, John Mooney and Wilson chipped away at the target, getting home with 11 balls to spare when Mooney pulled a short ball to the boundary.
Ireland enjoy a rest day tomorrow before taking on a Canadian side that were hammered by nine wickets by Sri Lanka ‘A’ in today’s earlier game.
QUADRANGULAR T20 SERIES
At P Sara Oval, Colombo: Afghanistan 121-9 (20 ovs) (R Ahmadzai 33no, N Mangal 27, S Shafiq 23; T Johnston 4-22, A Botha 3-14, G Dockrell 2-11), Ireland 124-5 (18.1 ovs) (W Porterfield 46, P Stirling 21, N O’Brien 18, G Wilson 16no). Ireland won by 5
wickets.
Canada 93-6 (20 ovs) (A Bagai 26, A Samad 24; S Prasanna 3-13), Sri Lanka ‘A’ 94-1 (13 ovs) (M Siriwardana 54no, K Silva 34no). Sri Lanka ‘A’ won by 9 wkts.