CRICKET:AS HOMECOMINGS go, Ireland's abject batting display at Stormont on Saturday in a seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan was hardly of the ticker tape variety.
The Pakistan fans, who made up the majority of the 1,500 crowd at the Belfast venue, were the ones left waving the flags and blowing the horns as they hailed their heroes, who one by one answered the chanted requests to sign autographs and pose for pictures.
Much of the confidence of the Ireland players going into the first of the two One-Day Internationals in this RSA Series came from the idea of catching the visitors cold after their recent arrival from the Caribbean.
Well everyone was cold on a wet and blustery day in Belfast that saw the game eventually reduced to 36 overs, with play only getting underway at 2pm.
And as far as playing the conditions went, it was Ireland that made a hames of things after they were put into bat by Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq in favourable bowling conditions.
The notable exception as Ireland were bowled out for just 96 in 20 overs was Paul Stirling, who made light of the extravagant movement being achieved by the Pakistan seamers to blast 39 runs in just 22 deliveries, hitting seven boundaries and a six.
His departure in the sixth over, with the score on 44, was the start of the decline, with Kevin O’Brien (15) an Gary Wilson (11) the only other players to make it to double figures as Ireland failed to make it to three figures for the third time in an ODI.
Tall left-arm seamer Junaid Khan, playing in just his fifth ODI, ripped apart Ireland’s middle order, taking four wickets for 12 runs in the five overs he bowled, before gifted off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked off what looked a strong tail all too easily, finishing with three for seven.
Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar, paying respect to a still lively pitch, adapted a cautious approach, putting on 73 runs either side of the late lunch break.
There was no lack of application by the home side in the field and Alex Cusack was rewarded with three late wickets, including Hafeez, who was bowled the next ball after bringing up his half-century off 83 deliveries.
The wickets saved Ireland from what looked like being a first 10-wicket defeat in an ODI and also let the huge contingent of Pakistani supporters to see some more of their heroes in the middle, with Misbah hitting the winning boundary off Nigel Jones in the 28th over.
A bad day at the office then and not ideal as Ireland try to send out a message to the International Cricket Council before they vote next month on whether to reintroduce a qualification campaign for the 2015 World Cup.
Ireland skipper William Porterfield, though, was only thinking ahead to today’s second game of the series at the same venue and a chance to make amends for Saturday’s poor showing.
“Everyone knows where they went wrong, we’ve been playing cricket long enough,” was Porterfield’s honest appraisal.
“When such a decent crowd turns out, you want to put on a performance, put on a show for them as much as anything and keep the buzz that’s around Irish cricket going. We’ve let a few people down today but we’ll be looking to turn that around come Monday.”
Stormont Scoreboard
Pakistan won the toss and fielded. Match reduced to 36 overs per side.
IRELAND
E Joyce c Salman b Ahmed 1
P Stirling c Hafeezl b Junaid Khan 39
W Porterfield c Salman b Gul 4
A Cusack b Junaid Khan 5
G Wilson c Salman b Ajmal 11
K O'Brien b Junaid Khan 15
A White c Salman b Junaid Khan 0
J Mooney c Jun Khan b Younus Khan 7
T Johnston c Misbah-ul-Haq b Ajmal 6
N Jones not out 3
B Rankin b Ajmal 0
Extras (w4 nb1) 5
Total (all out, 20 overs) 96
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-44, 3-49, 4-51, 5-66, 6-66, 7-84, 8-91, 9-95.
Bowling: U Gul 5-1-29-1; T Ahmed 4-0-38-1; Junaid Khan 5-1-12-4; Younus Khan 3-0-10-1; S Ajmal 3-1-6-3.
PAKISTAN (D/L Target of 95 in 36 ovs)
M Hafeez b Cusack 52
T Umar c Stirling b Cusack 23
A Shafiq c Wilson b Cusack 4
Y Khan not out 6
Misbah ul-Haq not out 4
Extras (lb1 w6 nb1) 8
Total (for 3 wkts (27.3 ovs) 97
Fall of wickets: 1-73, 2-82, 3-92.
Did Not Bat: U Akmal, M Salman, T Ahmed, U Gul, S Ajmal, J Khan.
Bowling: B Rankin 5-0-17-0; T Johnston 6-1-13-0; J Mooney 4-0-19-0; K O'Brien 3-0-12-0; A Cusack 5-2-13-3; N Jones 4.3-0-22-0.
Pakistan won by 7 wkts (D/L )
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