News

Gallant 19s go down

Great spirit and a determined lower-order rearguard action not enough for the Irish

Back

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa – A brave half-century by John McNally and a four-wicket haul by Harry Dyer weren’t quite enough for Ireland Under-19s Men went down by three wickets to a slick Pakistan.

Coming in with Ireland at 39-5 in the 19th over, bowling all-rounder McNally, who plays with Clontarf Cricket Club, dug in for more than two hours, facing 81 balls and anchoring a lower-order rearguard action by the Irish side.

Whilst the first five wickets may have fallen for just 39 runs, the Pakistan bowlers found a tougher challenge to prise out the last five – with 142 runs coming from the tail.

Central to this may have been McNally who struck 53, including two boundaries, but he was aided by Harry Dyer (31) and Olly Riley (18) in particular. The McNally/Dyer seventh wicket partnership was an impressive 65 from 82 balls – impressive in its stubbornness not to concede their wickets cheaply in the face of a dangerous Pakistan attack.

McNally’s runs came predominantly through the leg-side as he gave a lesson in determined, and at times, gritty batting. Despite this, his two boundaries were a beautifully timed square cut off the back foot to the boundary behind square, and a well-executed sweep for four – both boundaries from the bowling of spinner Arafat Minhas.

Shot of the innings, though, probably goes to Riley who smashed paceman Ahmad Hasan over long on off the first ball of the 46th over.

The end was nigh, however, and the 10th wicket fell in the penultimate over – Ireland having recovered to post 181.

The Irish spirits rose early in the Pakistan run-chase when Reuben Wilson (1-32) and Riley (1-26) claimed their opposition’s openers in the space of five balls – at 26-2 the bowling looked incisive.

After a steady 47-run third wicket partnership between Azan Awais (21) and Saad Baig (25), CSNI’s off-spinner Dyer (4-35) made a dramatic intervention claiming three wickets and reducing Pakistan to 96-5.

While for a few overs the momentum had swung towards the Irish side, Ahmed Hussain (57*) and Haroon Arshad (25) put on 63 for the sixth wicket and took the game away.

Dyer took his fourth wicket in the latter overs, but it wasn’t quite enough as Pakistan reached the target in the 44th over.

Ireland’s next game in the Super Six stage is against New Zealand on Saturday.