CRICKET INTERCONTINENTAL CUP:A 221-RUN partnership between Andrew White and John Mooney followed by some late joy for the bowlers put Ireland in complete control of their Intercontinental Cup clash against the Netherlands on day two.
The Dutch ended the day on 71 for four in their second innings, still requiring 150 runs to make Ireland bat again after they made 408 in their first dig yesterday.
It was far from the perfect start to the day’s play when Kevin O’Brien lobbed up a catch to Mohammed Kashif at backward square leg off the bowling of Bernard Loots after he had made 41. Alex Cusack was then bowled for 43 by Mauritz Jonkman to leave Ireland on 109 for four.
Gary Wilson and White looked set for a lengthy stay at the crease and had put on 44 runs for the fifth wicket when Wilson was given lbw to Pieter Seelaar.
Replays showed the ball pitched outside the line, while the batsman was adamant he got some timber on it, but Wilson’s bad luck opened the way for the key partnership of the day.
As if to get back at Seelaar, Mooney hit the spinner for two fours in three deliveries to give Ireland the lead on first innings and the six bonus points on offer.
After making it to lunch on 218 for five, Ireland went on to dominate the afternoon session. At ease in each other’s company the pairing of White and Mooney ran well between the wickets and punished anything loose with some expansive drives as the lead increased. The new ball didn’t help matters, with White hitting Mauritz Jonkman for a six and four to bring up his second century against the Dutch and his fourth in total for Ireland.
Mooney had already gone past his previous best for Ireland of 58 not out and the North County left-hander would bag his first century with a beautiful drive through extra cover, his 17th boundary after facing 129 deliveries.
Just 13 runs short of an Irish sixth-wicket record the partnership was ended when spinner Mohammed Kashif got through his defences to bowl Mooney for 107 in the over before tea.
He trapped White leg-before for 144 just after the break and would go on to take five wickets for 53 as Ireland’s tail failed to wag.
With a lead of 220, Ireland reduced the Dutch to 71 for four by the end of play, with skipper Trent Johnston taking three for 23 as the home side scented an early victory that look likely to arrive today.
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