(Cricket news) Three wickets from returning paceman Craig Young, and a belligerent half-century from opener Paul Stirling, assisted Ireland Men to a six-wicket win over the USA in the playoff semi-final at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
An opening partnership of 84 off 83 balls set the tone for Ireland’s run chase after being set 197 for victory. Stirling was the major aggressor, with nine fours and two sixes being the dominant scoring shots in his 45-ball 58. He brought up his 28th career ODI fifty in the eleventh over, playing a reverse sweep and hitting the ball for a boundary.
Fortune was all on his side throughout the inning, as he got dropped on 7, and got lucky again on 27, he completely backed up his last knock of 162 against the UAE with another emphatic inning. Most of his boundaries came through the off side – striking cover drives or flashing cut strokes behind point, but his two sixes were stand-and-deliver pull shots over the legside boundary. Stirling eventually fell on 58 when he was trapped lbw trying to sweep in the 14th over, with Ireland 84-1.
Captain Andrew Balbirnie – playing in his 100th ODI – came in at number three and imposed a 39-run partnership with Andy McBrine before the left-hander was caught and bowled by Nosthush Kenjige with Ireland 123-2.
Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker both made 25 before Balbirnie and Curtis Campher guided the side home with over 15 overs to spare. Balbirnie ended on 45* – after his 66 in the last match – has seen the skipper register not only much-needed runs but also a worthwhile time in the middle.
Earlier in the day the USA saw Saiteja Mukkamalla and Sushant Modani score half-centuries as they posted 196 all out. Opener Steven Taylor played with plenty of freedom early on, before a seventh over double-wicket maiden from Craig Young – in his first over of the tournament – took care of both Taylor and US captain Monank Patel.
Mukkamalla and Modani then blended for an 88-run partnership before Mukkamalla was unfortunate to get run out in the 23rd over – McBrine getting his index finger to a shot from Modani that clipped the stumps, with Mukkamalla caught out of his crease.
Having been 121-3, Ireland’s bowlers ran through the lower order with Barry McCarthy, Young, McBrine, and Mark Adair all taking wickets, with Young showcasing the best of himself and taking 3-35 from his seven overs.
Ireland will now be facing the winners of the Nepal v UAE game in the seventh-place playoff final next Tuesday
MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland won by 6 wickets
Ireland Men v USA Men, ICC World Cup Qualifier, 7th place playoff semi-final, Harare, 30 June 2023
USA: 196 (42.4 overs; S Mukkamalla 55, S Modani 55; C Young 3-35)
Ireland: 197-4 (34.2 overs; P Stirling 58, A Balbirnie 45*; N Kenjige 2-41)
Also read: Duleep Trophy: North thrash North East by 511 runs, storm into semifinals
