IRELAND’S WORLD CUP campaign ended in disappointing fashion as a seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan in Adelaide saw them miss out on qualification for the quarter-finals by the narrowest of margins.
This morning’s result, as well as West Indies’ win over UAE in Napier, left Ireland on six points in Pool B alongside the Windies but Phil Simmons’ side are heading home because of their inferior net run-rate.
A tournament which promised so much, and provided plenty of highlights, ends with a sour taste in the mouth as Ireland fall agonisingly short of making history and miss out on a mouth-watering clash with Australia in the last eight.
The Boys in Green have flown the flag for the Associates in the World Cup, attempting to embarrass the ICC by upsetting the established order but with all the odds stacked against them, it was one hurdle too far.
Defending 237 at the Adelaide Oval, Ireland’s shortcomings with the ball were ruthlessly exposed once more as Pakistan coasted through to the knock-out stages with four overs to spare.
Victories over West Indies, UAE and Zimbabwe set-up this winner-takes-all showdown but Pakistan’s experience and class shone through on a day when Ireland knew they needed to play to their maximum to have any chance of bringing another Full Member to their knees.
Having won the toss, captain William Porterfield played a lone hand with his seventh One-Day century as the rest of the batsmen faltered in the face of a hostile Pakistan bowling display.
There was a feeling of deja vú as a cluster of wickets, just like against India, put the brakes on Ireland’s innings and having stuttered to 237, the Boys in Green were always on the back foot.
Any hopes of exposing an oft-vulnerable Pakistan top-order faded with the sunlight in Adelaide with openers Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz Ahmed breaking the back of Ireland with a destructive stand of 120.
Shehzad scored his maiden ODI hundred and became Pakistan’s first centurion at this World Cup as he anchored the run-chase with consummate ease. He remained unbeaten on 101 with Umar Akmal confirming Ireland’s fate by hitting the winning runs off Paul Stirling.
Earlier, Porterfield became the first Associate captain to score a hundred at a World Cup but it was in vain.
Just like it was against India last week, Phil Simmons’ side built a platform with the bat but were unable to accelerate the scoring rate as Pakistan applied the stranglehold with an exhibition in death bowling from their fast-bowling attack.
At 182-4, with Porterfield well set, Ireland had their sights on a total pushing 250+ on a slightly two-paced track but, Porterfield apart, none of the Irish batsmen were able to play fluently as wickets fell at regular intervals in the final 15 overs.
Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce were undone by Eshan Ali and Wahab Riaz respectively while Niall O’Brien, the hero of 2007 when Ireland beat Pakistan in Jamaica, slapped Rahat Ali straight to cover just as Ireland were beginning to wrestle back the momentum.
Porterfield played fluently, however. The left-hander was particularity strong behind square as he followed-up his half-century against India with another industrious and anchoring innings.
But once again it was a case of what might have been. Andrew Balbirnie, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign, top-edged Harris Sohail to short fine-leg and although Gary Wilson added 48 with his captain, the acceleration was curbed by a succession of wickets with five falling in the final ten overs.
Pakistan play Australia in Adelaide on Friday while Ireland begin the long journey home.
I didn’t understand most of the above but good luck Ireland. Always good to see an Irish team doing well on the international stage.
Still did better than England
Put it this way: we got knocked out on goal difference.
First yesterday now today. This is embarrassing and a waste of money. Stick to the GAA.
Hahaha. Setting a low standard”
Our bowling will come up short again today most likely. A team of our limited resources losing Trent Johnston to retirement, Boyd Rankin to England and then Tim Murtagh to injury just before the tournament is crippling.
We just dont have fast bowling that other teams have. Even our wins against UAE and Zimbabwe could have been more comfortable.
Having said that. We have beaten 2 test playing nations, which is a fantastic achievement, which is more than you can say for England.
Overall its been a really good tournament even if we go out today.
Hopefully the ICC will come to sense and maintain a 14 team World Cup. It is only right for the sport.
I think Ireland have been moral winners of the tournament and should get more games as a result. Test cricket needs another team and Ireland deserve it. There is no doubt we can compete! We proved it in 2007, 2011 and now 2015. If it happens once, it is an anomaly. If it happens twice, it is a coincidence. If it happens three times (as Ireland has shown), it is a trend. We have shown we have a been a good cricketing nation over the past 8 years. It is time we get rewarded with more games.
To maintain our achievements, Cricket Ireland need to continue doing the great work they are doing at domestic level. The inter-provincial system is starting to come to fruition and great emphasis should be placed on developing that further. Munster/Connacht need to be included if Cricket is to fully grow in Ireland. Investment needs to also flow into the underage teams. For instance, if our U19s could get games against the main nations that would be a major benefit in the long term.
All very true. The scheduling of this tournament was a joke though, as was spreading the thing across a whole continent. The ICC is such a joke that it makes FIFA look good!
Nobody can make FIFA look good.
Cricket is like a foreign language. I get the concept of the game well enough but the cricketing terms used in the really don’t communicate to the uninitiated.
Could do with a ‘cricket for dummies’ article
Here ya go..
http://m.dummies.com/how-to/content/cricket-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
Like economics for the Shinner.
Good morning Mr Lyons
Jesus Lyons give it a rest .. This is about cricket and you still drag politics and Sinn Fein into it …
Think we are about 40 runs short. Tight bowling and fielding and they will feel the pressure. Pakistan not a great batting outfit.
That’s not a bad result and they’ve beaten Pakistan before…figures crossed
*fingers
Pakistan 70/0 after 10 overs.
We’re gone. Close but not close enough.
Well..Irish team played well..Needs to improve Bowling..Best wishes for Pakistan team in Quarter final match..
Not enough runs scored in the last few overs. Some early wickets now would make in interesting
Heroic effort well done
Poor start by the bowlers. It’s getting away from us.
I got one of those special notifications on my phone that the Journal tends to send through when somebody significant has died or there’s a deranged murderer on the loose. Or when Ireland loses a cricket match that most people didn’t know we were in :/
Well it worked on you. Sure didn’t you come on here and comment. I’d call that clever marketing of your product.
That’ll be that then
Well done…you tried..
Come on Ireland let’s start scoring wickets!!!
Never mind lads, you did us proud. The important thing is now to defeat the proposals to reduce the number of countries who can compete at the highest level.
.
Get one wicket of em Ireland come on we got up so early to support u!!!
Ireland is missing genuine “fast” bowlers. Irish bowlers bowl at around 100-125kmph. At this speed they’re not going to threaten any batsmen or induce them to make mistakes. All major teams have at least one bowler bowling at 150kmph and few others at 140+kmph. So it’s time Ireland realizes that they can’t compete at this level without producing such bowlers.
Loads of experts all of a sudden! Who to say we couldn’t be as bad a test nation like Zimbabwe or Bangladesh? Sure Bangladesh made the quarters even if they hardly win any tests.
Looking forward to the England match in Malahide. Well done Ireland!
Totally agree with Brian. You guys said you’ll only use notifications for the most significant events. I don’t really class Ireland losing in cricket as a significant event.
I see all the trolls are finally awake and have been let out of their cages and are free to roam the comments sections
Good afternoon to you all.
Bandwagon for sale. Used for 4 weeks.
Dirty alcoholics
Just as bad as the rugby
Rubbish game
Not once was the word cricket used in this article! Interesting indeed! The assumption that anyone reading it would somehow know what it was about….
Some would have guessed it was cricket from the pictures used.