CRICKET:A DEFIANT innings of 95 not out from Alex Cusack and some late wickets saw Ireland keep alive hopes of a third straight Intercontinental Cup title after a day of swinging fortunes in their final encounter against Namibia in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

The African side finished the day 69 runs ahead but lost two early wickets in their second innings with Ireland opening bowler Peter Connell picking up two leg-before decisions in the space of five balls to remove Louis van der Westhuizen and night-watchman Louis Klazinga as they closed on 14 for two.

Connell had earlier wrapped up Namibia's first innings on 250 when he bowled Kola Burger for 29 to claim his second five-wicket haul in just his fifth match in the competition.

Connell was to be trumped by the performance of Gerrie Snyman, who swung the ball fiercely on the St George's Park wicket to demolish Ireland's top-order.

After trapping Niall O'Brien leg-before for a duck in his second over, Snyman would go on take three wickets in four balls as skipper William Porterfield, Andre Botha and Kevin O'Brien were all clean-bowled in the 11th over to reduce Ireland to 27 for four. Ten runs were added to the total before Andrew White became Snyman's fifth victim and the possibility of following on looked a distinct possibility.

Cool heads were called for with Cusack and Trent Johnston supplying them as they rebuilt Ireland's innings with a sixth-wicket stand of 141, including 101 runs in the session between lunch and tea.

Johnston would eventually fall for a patient 58 from 129 balls, setting off a collapse as Sarel Burger helped himself to four wickets as Ireland were bowled out for 195.

It left Cusack five short of a deserved second century for Ireland after he had faced 230 deliveries and hit 15 boundaries.

The late Namibian wickets certainly buoyed the mood in the Irish dressingroom and Cusack remains confident that victory is still within their grasp.

"If we can get two more wickets early on tomorrow we'll be back on top I think. We've got to just keep bowling tidily and see what happens," said the Clontarf player.

"I'd never write us off because we have come back before, particularly against Namibia. With a lot of the guys missing out in the first innings they'll be looking to put that right in the second innings so hopefully we'll be able to pull it off."