CRICKET:IT MAY not have quite reached the nail-biting excitement of Ashes matters in Cardiff yesterday, but the spectators in Clontarf last night had there own little piece of drama to enjoy as Ireland completed a 3-0 whitewash over Kenya in the RSA Challenge Series that moves them back into 10th spot in the world rankings.
Chasing a Duckworth-Lewis target of 245 in 46 overs, the African side needed 13 off the final two overs, with batsman Collins Obuya well set on 73 not out and four wickets still in hand. With the pressure on, skipper William Porterfield asked the question of his Mr Reliable, Kyle McCallan. The wily off-spinner answered in some style, with three singles and three dot balls to leave the Kenyans needing 10 off the final over.
Kevin O’Brien was next up for a test of character and three singles off the first three balls of the final over left Kenya needing seven runs. What Nehemiah Odhiambo was doing trying to reverse sweep the next ball is anyone’s guess but a dot ball followed by a single left Obuya needing a maximum off the last delivery.
O’Brien held his nerve brilliantly, firing it right up in the block hole as Obuya could only scamper a single as Ireland got home by four runs. It wrapped up a fine weekend for Ireland who sealed the series in another rain-affected game on Saturday, winning by 52 runs on Duckworth-Lewis. That result gave Simmons a chance to rest Trent Johnston and Alex Cusack, with Fox Lodge bowler Andrew Britton coming in to make his international debut.
The other change saw Paul Stirling make his fourth ODI appearance since facing the Kenyans last August. And just nine days after hitting a century against them in the drawn match at Eglinton, the 18-year-old from Belfast showed again he is a rare talent indeed. He came to the wicket after Gary Wilson was caught behind by wicket-keeper Morris Ouma off the bowling of Thomas Odoyo for 16 and when Porterfield went soon after to the same pairing, Ireland were 40 for two. The right-hander was particularly effective square of the wicket as he brought up his first ODI half-century off 52 balls with five boundaries and a six.
Wickets continued to fall at the other end until John Mooney joined him in a vital sixth-wicket stand of 76 that was ended when Steve Tikolo bowled Stirling for 84, made from 92 balls with six fours and two maximums.
Mooney would go for 42, but a scintillating unbeaten partnership of 51 off 26 balls between Kyle McCallan and Regan West helped the side post 256 for seven from their 50 overs.
Set a revised target of 245 in 46 overs after a number of showers, Kenya got off to a fine start with debutant Britton paying the price for bowling far too short on a slow deck. Rankin also took some hammer, with one shot from Alex Obanda sailing high over the pavilion. Yet again the spinners proved the key with McCallan, West and Andrew White bowling economically in the middle overs to set up the dramatic ending and ensure Ireland go back ahead of Zimbabwe in the ODI rankings.
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