Ireland clinch two wicket Cup win
Feb 25, 2015 - 12:38 PM The luck of the Irish has helped deny United Arab Emirates (UAE) a thrilling maiden World Cup victory on Wednesday night.Gary Wilson (80 off 69) made his own fortune to help guide Ireland (8-279) to a two-wicket win with four balls to spare at the Gabba.
Earlier, No.6 Shaiman Anwar struck 106 and shared a record World Cup seventh-wicket stand of 107 with Amjad Javed (42 off 35) to help lift UAE from 6-131 to 9-278.
Ireland are now on track for a quarter-final berth after backing up their shock opening win over West Indies - thanks to a little luck.
Despite the tense finish, Irish eyes always appeared to be smiling on the Emerald Isle's team.
Opener Ed Joyce was bowled by Amjad Javed (3-60) on 17 with Ireland on 1-36, only for the bails to remain on the stumps.
Joyce looked back to see the LED lights-fitted bails flash when beaten by Javed then remarkably fall back into their groove.
Joyce's luck ran out on 37 when Javed had him caught behind, ending a crucial 68-run second wicket stand that set up Ireland's chase.
They stumbled at 4-97 in the 26th over before all-rounder Kevin O'Brien's 25-ball 50 in a 72-run sixth-wicket stand with Wilson got the Irish in sight of a heart-stopping win.
Earlier, Anwar thrashed UAE's first World Cup and second ODI ton.
Anwar's knock is a UAE World Cup record highest score, eclipsing Saleem Raza's 84.
He thrashed 10 fours and one six.
UAE fell just short of their record ODI team total of 7-285 posted in their opening four-wicket loss to Zimbabwe last week.
UAE are appearing at their first World Cup since 1996.
Paul Stirling (2-27) was the pick of the Irish bowlers.
"That's part of the game. I have seen it before but it has never happened to me before," Javed said of "bowling" Joyce.
"You could say we are unlucky but we dropped O'Brien (on 24) at a crucial time.
"If you do that you let the team take the game away from you - but the boys will learn from that."
On his record stand with Anwar, Javed said: "We played our natural game despite being six wickets down and just kept going ... then we were (scoring at) eight, 10 an over."
Man of the match Wilson was breathing easy after Ireland locked up back-to-back wins.
"I got them to the line but couldn't get them over it," he said.
"I did some serious pacing in the dressing room."
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Ireland face Pakistan in first-ever Test Oct 12
- Test-status Ireland seek new cricket coach Jul 27
- Ireland cricket chief hopes exodus is over Jun 22
- Ireland edge closer to Test status Oct 14
- Proteas thrash Ireland by 206 runs in ODI Sep 25
- Ireland replace Australia at U19 WC Jan 6
- Zimbabwe edge Ireland in ODI opener Oct 9
- Aust-born Cusack retires from Ireland duty Aug 13
- NZ's Bracewell lands Ireland cricket job Apr 29
- Irish want answers from ICC on future Mar 16
- Ireland fury at journalist's Mooney attack Mar 10
- Ireland confident ahead of India clash Mar 7