CRICKET/INTERCONTINENTAL CUP:IRELAND REMOVED their winter shackles to take control on day one of their Intercontinental Cup clash against United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Phil Simmons' side finished the day on 46 for one in reply to UAE's first innings of 228 as Ireland's bowling attack hit their straps from the off.
Simmons handed 17-year-old Paul Stirling a debut, but the Cliftonville opening bat was given time to get used to his new surroundings after the home side won the toss and batted.
In the absence of Boyd Rankin, skipper Trent Johnston took the new ball alongside David Langford-Smith, who struck the first blow with the fourth ball of the match when he trapped Gayan Silva in front of the wicket for four.
Johnston removed Amjad Ali for 12 and wickets continued to fall as the UAE were left reeling on 121 for six.
Only a 97-run partnership between Sameer Zia and Ahmed Raza for the seventh wicket saved them from total disaster as they went past the 200 mark.
In a bid to make the breakthrough, Johnston reintroduced Alex Cusack into the attack. It reaped immediate rewards as three wickets fell with the score on 218.
The Clontarf all-rounder clean-bowled Zia for 56 and Shoaib Sarwar for a duck, before Stirling provided an early highlight when he ran out Zahid Shah with a direct hit from backward short leg.
Ten runs were added before an exceptional catch from William Porterfield off the bowling of Andre Botha removed Raza for 46 to close the innings on 228.
Stirling proved Ireland's only casualty, the young opener making two before being bowled by Fahad Alhashmi.
Eoin Morgan came in to join Porterfield and the left-handed pair pushed the score along to 46 for one before stumps.
Johnston was delighted with his side after their winter break. "It was good that we hit the ground running today after being without a game for over six months.
"I'd obviously like for us to bat most of tomorrow and a bit of Saturday. I don't think we'll need 600, but I would like to get somewhere around the 500 mark."
