CRICKET: ANDRE BOTHA took up where he left off yesterday as Ireland beat Kenya by 33 runs in a low-scoring encounter to take the first of the three-match Carnegie Cup series.

Named player of the tournament during the Twenty20 Qualifier earlier this month, Botha took four wickets as Ireland bowled out the Africans for 115 after posting 148 for nine off their 50 overs.

It was an excellent result, considering skipper William Porterfield lost the toss on a wicket that was always going to be at its worst for the team batting first.

Peter Ongondo did the early damage as Porterfield uncharacteristically lost patience and offered Rakeb Patel the easiest of catches after making just three.

Gary Wilson gloved behind off the same bowler, with the difficulty in getting the ball away best summed up by the fact it took until the 13th over before Botha scored the first boundary of the innings.

Botha's next four came off a missed chance by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma, and he had moved on to 22 before Tony Suji cut his first delivery back into the left-hander to bowl him for 22.

When Niall O'Brien went the same way for 10 in Suji's next over, Ireland were in a spot of bother at 54 for four in the 20th over.

A fifth-wicket stand of 49 between Andy White and Alex Cusack pushed them past the 100 mark before Kenya's spinners made their mark.

White perished on 26 to a fine catch from Suji off Hiren Varaiya, while Jimmy Kamande dispatched Reinhardt Strydom (1), Cusack (32) and Boyd Rankin to leave Ireland on 126 for nine.

Andrew Poynter held his nerve, and hit out late on to finish unbeaten on 23, while Peter Connell hit a flat-batted six in his 10 not out as Ireland added vital runs at the end of the innings.

After a heavy shower during lunch, Rankin, in his first game since the World Cup and, remarkably, making his home debut, removed the openers, while White and Connell ran out Patel.

Botha's introduction proved key, as he accounted for dangerman Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo with back-to-back lbw decisions in his second over to leave them on 51 for five.

The visitors were well up with the run rate though, and Ireland knew they were going to have to bowl them out to earn victory.

Kamande and Ouma looked well set and had added a vital 35 before Kyle McCallan held onto a sharp return catch from the latter.

Connell then deployed his slower ball to devastating effect to trap Suji leg-before, and McCallan picked up his second when Varaiya went the same way.

It was left to Botha to wrap up proceedings with the final two balls of the 39th over with the wickets of top-scorer Kamande (33) and Ongondo.

The sides meet again at Stormont this morning (10.45), where a presentation will be made to McCallan on winning his 200th international cap.