CRICKET:INDIA PAID Ireland the ultimate compliment last night by rolling out all their big guns for this World Twenty20 dead rubber match as the world champions proceeded to leather Ireland by eight wickets in Nottingham. There will be no lasting damage to Phil Simmons's side, and nor can there be, as they go straight into today's opening Super Eights clash with an under-strength New Zealand side at the same venue (1.30pm).
With the points from last night’s game not carrying through to the second stage, Simmons took the opportunity to rest the heroes of Monday’s victory over Bangladesh, as Niall O’Brien and Trent Johnston made way for Andrew White and Andre Botha.
The injured duo will return today, although White made a play for his inclusion against the Black Caps as he top-scored with 29 off 25 deliveries to help Ireland recover from a nightmare start after being put into bat by Indian skipper MS Dhoni. Dhoni’s decision was made easy by the rain that put the start time back 50 minutes and reduced the game to 18 overs per side.
Ireland’s top-order had no answer to the pace and swing of left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan, who took three wickets in seven deliveries to leave them on 17 for three. All three victims were left-handers, something that may just prompt Simmons to go with a left-right partnership at the top of the order for today’s clash. Jeremy Bray perished for a duck as Khan smashed his stumps with the final ball of his second over, while the first ball of his next over accounted for Ireland skipper William Porterfield, cutting straight to Yusuf Pathan at first slip.
Botha survived the hat-trick ball, but the same combination accounted for the North County player off the last ball of the over as India showed their dominance with the new ball.
Not that Ireland’s batsmen had much luck against India’s battery of top-class spinners, with Kevin O’Brien unable to repeat his heroics from Monday as Pragyan Ojha bowled him for just two. Gary Wilson had worked hard for his 19 runs, only to be bowled by Harbhajan Singh, whose waving off of the Surrey player showed a disrespect international players of his stature should be above.
John Mooney (19) and Alex Cusack (12 not out) helped Ireland into three figures, but their final tally of 112 for eight was nowhere near enough to challenge India.
Boyd Rankin did bowl well up front, his four overs going for just 28 runs, but it was Regan West who was the most impressive Ireland bowler, making the breakthrough when he had Gautam Gambhir caught by Boyd Rankin for 37 and finishing with figures of one for 23. India already had put up 77 at that stage and despite losing skipper MS Dhoni to Kyle McCallan’s bowling, they would breeze past the line with 15 balls to spare, with Rohit Sharma unbeaten on 52.
Porterfield was happy with his side’s showing to comeback from Khan’s early barrage. “The wicket did a bit early on and they landed the ball in the right areas, we nicked a couple and played a couple of poor shots. It doesn’t help when you keep losing wickets up front, but I thought we fought back very well in the end and posted a fairly competitive total.”
Sanath Jayasuriya thrashed 81 from 47 balls to set up Sri Lanka’s 15-run win over West Indies yesterday in the teams’ final group match. Both teams had already qualified for the second round.
West Indies, chasing Sri Lanka’s 192 for five at Trent Bridge, managed 177 for five in reply with Dwayne Bravo top-scoring with 51. They were left needing 28 from the last over. Jayasuriya added 124 from 78 deliveries with opening partner Tillekeratne Dilshan, who scored an equally rapid 74 from 47 balls – his second consecutive 50 after his 53 against Australia. Jayasuriya plundered 10 fours and three sixes.
West Indies fought back through medium-pacer Lendl Simmons, who claimed the first four wickets for 19 runs from three overs. He was denied the chance to become the first man to take five wickets in a T20 international when Jerome Taylor bowled the 20th over.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle was rested because of a sore right knee.
