Ireland fall 56 short

CRICKET/IRELAND v NOTTINGHAMSHIRE:IRELAND WENT down to a 56-run defeat in their opening Friends Provident Trophy clash at Castle Avenue yesterday as Nottinghamshire's Rolls Royce of a bowling attack bowled Phil Simmons's side out for 161.

With new captain William Porterfield winning the toss, Ireland had first dabs on a Castle Avenue track that had a nice smattering of early-season grass.

A fired-up Kevin O'Brien got Ireland got off to a dream start, taking two wickets in his first two overs as three Notts batsmen were quickly back in the pavilion.

The Railway Union all-rounder nipped his fourth delivery back in to the pads of Bilal Shafayat. He made it two in the last ball of his second over when he again moved the ball back into batsman Mark Wagh.

Debutant Phil Eaglestone joined the party to record his first international wicket, the Strabane left-armer sliding one across Will Jefferson to give Gary Wilson a routine victim behind the stumps.

With the Outlaws reeling at 19 for three Ireland looked like they might steal one from the rich in the spirit of Sherwood Forest's finest bow and arrow merchant.

Adam Voges then set about adding some backbone to Notts' shaky start, hitting the first boundary of their innings with the final ball of the sixth over.

Voges's partner Samit Patel looked like he was bedding down for the week, taking 24 balls to get off the mark as Notts crawled their way past 50 in the 19th over.

After having two earlier catches dropped off his bowling, Thinus Fourie finally had something to celebrate as he trapped Patel leg-before for 28 as Ireland sniffed a chance of bowling Notts out for under 150. But some late-order hitting from Chris Read (45) and 21 each from Graeme Swann and Mark Ealham pushed Notts on 217-9 off their 50 overs.

O'Brien came back to take two late wickets and record figures of 4-31, his best at international level.

Porterfield got Ireland's reply off to a blistering start with two superb boundaries off Sidebottom's first over.

He was to gain his revenge after the Gloucestershire player had made 15, Swann diving at first slip to take the catch, followed soon after by Cliftonville 17-year-old Paul Stirling for a duck off Charlie Shreck's bowling. It was Mark Ealham that did most of the damage though, the wily former England all-rounder picking up four wickets for 39.

Despite a couple of promising starts, Ireland's batsmen were unable to put together any really meaningful partnerships, with Andy White top-scoring with 30 as they were bowled out for 161.

Meanwhile, Simmons is expected to name his fellow Trinidadian Ravi Rampaul as Ireland's overseas player for the remaining seven games.