Ireland has been bowled out in the last over of their innings for a disappointing 236. This will leave them plenty of work to do with the ball if they are not to suffer a shock defeat in this vital World Cup qualifier here in Amstelveen.

Ireland won the toss on a warm sunny morning and decided to bat. As expected White and Shannon were left out of the team but to the surprise of many Max Sorensen is still awaiting on his ODI debut as Alex Cusack was preferred. Sorensen must wonder what he has to do as he has bowled very well against Australia A, the four day match this week against the Dutch and in the inter-pros.

Ireland captain William Porterfield was dropped at cover of the second ball of the match by Swart and went on to make a somewhat laboured 79 before being out stumped of the first ball of the last over. He faced 118 balls and hit 8 fours.

Paul Stirling was bowled leg stump for 1 by the veteran Shiferli who was recalled to the Dutch side after a three year absence. Ed Joyce looked very fluent stroking three fours in a nineteen ball 22 before he chipped Shiferli to Swart at cover. Niall O’Brien joined Porterfield and they rebuilt the innings. Their partnership of 125 took over 30 overs however before O’Brien fell to a superb  piece of fielding by the Dutch captain Peter Borren who initially had dropped a difficult catch but recovered to hit the stumps leaving O’Brien short of his ground. Borren had been chiefly responsible for restricting Ireland’s score as his 10 overs only cost 27 runs.

Gary Wilson was stumped for 0 and not for the first time Kevin O’Brien considerably increased the tempo with 32 runs of twenty two balls including 3 fours and the only six of the innings. When he was dismissed caught on the boundary, the Ireland innings subsided with only 32 runs added in the last 5 overs, Trent Johnston the only remaining batsman to get to double figures. Bukhari with 3 wickets for 41 and Malik with 3 for 51 cleaned up the Ireland tail.

 -Odran Flynn

Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie