Steven Smith spared Australia from an embarrassing collapse to Ireland at Stormont

A battling century by Steven Smith spared Australia from an embarrassing collapse to Ireland in the international at Stormont yesterday. The test all-rounder made an unbeaten 104 before rain halted play an hour before the scheduled close.

The Aussie ‘A’ team – featuring the hastily-naturalised Fawad Ahmed for the first time – slumped to 69-4 as Ireland’s seamers made the most of helpful conditions. Max Sorensen was especially unplayable, bowling Nic Maddison and Usman Khawaja in his first three overs and returning to claim two more scalps including the dangerous Moises Henriques.

One of the highlights of Trent Johnston’s career was clean bowling Adam Gilchrist at the 2007 World Cup in Barbados. And yesterday he repeated the feat, riddling Gilchrist’s successor Brad Haddin for 2.

But having had the Wallabies wobbling after 17 overs, the rest of the attack couldn’t capitalise and the last 55 overs of the day passed with just one quick burst of two wickets by Sorensen.

Only Smith – whose century took 166 balls and has so far seen 14 fours and 1 six _ Alex Doolan (40), Henriques (47) and James Pattison (42no) have been able to get in on a pitch allowing extravagant seam movement.

Ireland, too, will be nervous about facing the likes of Peter Siddle and Pattison. Phil Simmons seemed to agree, packing the side with batsmen and leaving out three bowlers, Peter Connell, Phil Eaglestone and Scott Campbell from his selected 11.

AUSTRALIA ‘A’

N Maddinson bowled Sorensen 6

A Doolan c Poynter b Johnston 40

U Khawaja bowled Sorensen 0

S Smith not out 104

*+ B Haddin bowled Johnston 2

M Henriques c Johnston b Sorensen 47

P Siddle c Mooney b Sorensen 0

J Pattinson not out 42

Extras (b5, nb2) 7

Total (for 6 wkts, 72 overs) 248

To bat: A Agar, N Lyon, Fawad Ahmed

Fall: 14, 22, 61, 65, 139, 139

Bowling: Sorensen 14-5-44-4, Johnston 14-2-50-2, Mooney 13-2-45-0, Thompson 5-1-16-0, Cusack 7-3-27-0, Stirling 10-0-24-0, O’Brien 6-0-22-0, White 3-0-15-0

Umpires: M Hawthorne & A Neill

Ireland: P Stirling, J Anderson, A Cusack, J Shannon, A White, K O’Brien (capt), J Mooney, S Thompson, S Poynter, T Johnston, M Sorensen