Mooney's late stand helps Ireland prevail

CRICKET:JOHN MOONEY demonstrated just how dangerous he is as a late-order batsman yesterday as he made his top score in one-day cricket in Ireland's 26-run victory over Namibia in the first of two Intercontinental Cup one-day games at Stormont.

The North County all-rounder’s knock of 86 off 73 deliveries was vital to Ireland’s cause after a new-look Namibian side, and Christi Viljoen in particular, enjoyed considerable success against a strong home top-order. Niall O’Brien’s 57 was the only other decent score of note in a total of 241.

Mooney came to the wicket with Ireland struggling following the departure of Kevin O’Brien for five, leaving them on 107 for six with 23 overs still to bat.

He added 39 runs for the seventh wicket alongside Niall O’Brien, who departed for 57, his 20th half-century for Ireland and his second straight after his knock against The Netherlands in the final game of the World Cup in Calcutta.

That game provided a painful ending to a fine tournament for 18-year-old George Dockrell after he picked up a shoulder injury, but he made a key contribution with the bat on his return in a 59-run stand with Mooney after the departure of Trent Johnston for five.

It enabled Ireland to go past the 200-mark before Mooney was gone, 14 short of his century, when Raymond van Schoor held on to a brilliant catch off the bowling of Louis van der Westhuizen in the 49th over. Dockrell remained unbeaten at the end on 22 for his highest international score.

Namibia would have been confident of chasing a target of under 250 on a good Stormont wicket and the weather set fair, but Ireland’s bowlers stuck to their task, with only some late hitting by the Africans getting them past 200.

The visitors found Boyd Rankin’s pace and bounce particularly hard to deal with. The 6ft 8in Warwickshire bowler made the breakthrough in the seventh over with a delivery Ewald Steenkamp saw little of until it knocked his middle stump out of the ground.

Paul Stirling ran out Gerhard Rudolph from gully before Alex Cusack made two vital contributions with the wickets of skipper Craig Williams and Pikky Ya France to leave the Africans on 46 for three.

Dockrell also chipped in with two wickets to make it 81 for five in the 31st over to put Ireland in a commanding position.

They knew, though, they could not relax until they saw the back of Gerrie Snyman, who had cautiously made his way to a half-century.

Johnston finally ended his resistance after he had made 61 off 100 balls, then ended Van der Westhuizen’s kamikaze knock after he clubbed 22 from eight balls.

Cusack wrapped things up with the fourth ball of the penultimate over when Niall O’Brien caught Louis Klazinga at extra cover. He finished with three for 29, with Rankin, Johnston and Dockrell all finishing with two scalps apiece.

The sides meet at the same venue this morning at 10.45.

(At Stormont): Ireland won toss and batted.

IRELAND

W Porterfield c Steenkamp b Viljoen 12

P Stirling b Viljoen 11

A Cusack b Viljoen 7

N O’Brien c Snyman b Klazinga 57

G Wilson c Rudolph b Baard 15

A White lbw b Snyman 1

K O’Brien c vd Westhuizen b Snyman 5

J Mooney c v Schoor b vd Westhuizen 86

T Johnston c S’kamp b vd Westhuizen 5

G Dockrell not out 22

B Rankin c Van Schoor b Baard 2

Extras (lb5 nb2 w11) 18

––––

Total (all out, 49.5 ovs) 241

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-41, 3-42, 4-87, 5-97, 6-107, 7-146, 8-176, 9-235.

Bowling: L Klazinga 10-1-60-1; C Viljoen 10-1-38-3; L van der Westhuizen 10-0-50-2; S Baard 7.5-0-27-2; G Snyman 10-0-49-2; P Ya France 2-0-12-0.

NAMIBIA

E Steenkamp b Rankin 12

P Ya France c Wilson Cusack 24

G Rudolph run out 4

C Williams lbw b Cusack 5

G Snyman c K O’Brien b Johnston 60

R van Schoor c Wilson b Dockrell 9

S Baard lbw b Dockrell 12

N Scholtz c Johnston b Rankin 36

L vd Westhuizen c P’field b Johnston 22

L Klazinga c N O’Brien b Cusack 16

C Viljoen not out 2

Extras (b4 lb3 nb1 w4) 12

––––

Total (all out, 48.4 ovs) 215

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-41, 3-46, 4-55, 5-81, 6-100, 7-171, 8-175, 9-212.

Bowling: B Rankin 10-2-29-2; T Johnston 9-0-48-2; J Mooney 8-0-48-0; A Cusack 7.4-2-29-3; G Dockrell 10-1-42-2; K O’Brien 4-0-12-0.

Ireland won by 26 runs.