CRICKET:IRELAND GOT their defence of the European Championships off to a flying start with an eight-wicket win over Norway yesterday.
Despite the ease of victory it was not what coach Phil Simmons was looking for with far tougher tests ahead in the tournament. He had hoped his batsmen would get more time in the middle, only for Norway to win the toss and opt to bat.
Debutant Gavin McKenna was unlucky not to pick up his first international wicket in the eighth over, Thinus Fourie misjudging a skier from Sameer Sachdev in the deep.
Norway had moved on to 35 before Kevin O'Brien made the breakthrough, Reinhardt Strydom running across from mid-on to take a fine catch to dismiss Zaheer Ashiq for 22.
Ethsham Ul Haq joined Sachdev, but the pair struggled against O'Brien and Andre Botha, who was his usual parsimonious self, only giving away his first run off the bat from the second ball of his sixth over. By that stage he had accounted for Ul Haq to leave Norway on 49 for two in the 20th over.
It was the Irish spinners that wreaked the most havoc, skipper Kyle McCallan starting things off with the wicket of his opposite number Shahid Ahmed with the score on 52.
Norway rallied somewhat to reach 91 without further loss before McCallan changed Gary Kidd to the pavilion end with devastating results. Alex Cusack had taken the wicket of top scorer Sachdev, trapping him leg-before on 38, from 110 balls, and starting a collapse that saw the Norwegians go from 91 for three to 119 all out.
Waringstown left-armer Kidd took a fine return catch to dismiss Zeeshan Ali for 17 and set himself up for a hat-trick when he tempted Shabaz Butt into the hands of O'Brien at slip off his next delivery. He missed out but still finished with four for 25 off his nine overs, his best figures for Ireland as Norway were bowled out in the 44th over.
Gary Wilson and Strydom survived the half hour before lunch to bring the score to 30 and despite Strydom (21) and Stirling (5) falling after the interval, Ireland wrapped up proceedings within an hour. Wilson finished unbeaten on 47, while Andre Botha hit six boundaries in a quick-fire 25 off 18 balls.
Simmons's side take on Denmark at Rathmines this morning (10.45am), the Danes having lost their opener to Scotland by six wickets runs on Duckworth Lewis at Malahide.
Italy provided the first shock of the tournament, beating the Netherlands by eight runs at Balrothery. SCOREBOARD
At Milverton. Norway won the toss and batted. Ireland won by 8 wickets.
NORWAY
Z Ashiq c Strydom b K O'Brien 22
S Sachdev lbw b Cusack 38
E ul Haq c Wilson b Botha 1
S Ahmed st Wilson b McCallan 1
Z Ali cb Kidd 17
MS Butt c K O'Brien b Kidd 2
SM Ahmed run out (McCallan) 1
Z Siddiqui c Botha b McCallan 16
S Hayat c K O'Brien b Kidd 0
K Khurram c Botha b Kidd 0
MS Qayyum not out 4
Extras(lb5 w12) 17
Total(all out, 43.1 ovs) 119
Fall:1-35, 2-48, 3-52, 4-91, 5-97, 6-97, 7-98, 8-102, 9-105.
Bowling:T Fourie 4-1-14-0; G McKenna 5-0-12-0; K O'Brien 6-2-19-1; A Botha 7-3-6-1; K McCallan 8.1-0-28-2; G Kidd 9-2-25-4; A Cusack 4-0-10-1.
IRELAND
G Wilson not out 47
R Strydom c SM Ahmed b Ali 21
P Stirling c S Ahmed b Qayyum 5
A Botha not out 25
Extras(lb9 w13) 22
Total(for 2 wkts, 22.5 ovs) 120
Fall:1-67, 2-85.
Bowling:K Khurram 3-0-12-0; S Qayyum 4-0-19-1; MS Butt 7-2-23-0; S Ahmed 3-1-16-0; Z Ali 4-0-18-1; Z Siddiqui 1.5-0-23-0.
At Balrothery:Italy 181 (43.1 ovs) (J Scuderi 83no; E Schiferli 3-24), Netherlands 173 (T de Grooth 51, P Borren 34; D Alaud 3-30). Italy won by 8 runs.
At Malahide:Denmark 224-8 (50 ovs) (C Pedersen 72, S Vestergaard 50, M Overgaard 31; G Drummond 2-43), Scotland (Q Sheikh 80no, R Watson 34; M Pedersen 2-27). Scotland won by six wickets on Duckworth Lewis.
TODAY'S FIXTURES - EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS DIVISION ONE (10.45):Ireland v Denmark, Rathmines; Scotland v Italy, The Hills; Netherlands v Norway, Balrothery.
