CRICKET NEWS:A BRILLIANT innings of 94 off just 75 balls from Kevin O'Brien wasn't enough for Ireland, who came out on the wrong end of their first day/night clash at the Rose Bowl as Hampshire shot the lights out to wrap a 77-run victory in their Friends Provident Trophy clash.
Chasing 317 for victory, Ireland were in serious trouble early on when Dominic Cork removed both opening batsman in his second over. The former England seamer would also claim the wickets of Paul Stirling and Andrew White in his first spell to leave the visitors on 65 for four.
O’Brien was joined at the wicket by Alex Cusack and the pair would put on 95 from 100 balls, with the big Railway Union all-rounder taking advantage of a short boundary by clubbing the Hampshire attack to all parts in bringing up his 50 off just 39 balls.
He would eventually hole out in trying to bring up his century with a seventh six of his innings: Michael Lumb took the catch at long-on off the bowling of leg spinner Imran Tahir. O’Brien had hit 68 of his runs in boundaries that also included eight fours.
Ireland struggled after O’Brien’s dismissal, with England all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas picking up the wicket of Trent Johnston before ending Cusack’s patient knock after he had made 41 from 67 deliveries.
Kyle McCallan (23) and Regan West (17) added some late runs to reduce the margin of defeat, with Fintan McAllister and Peter Connell doing well to bat out the final eight overs as Ireland closed on 239 for nine.
Earlier, Sean Ervine and Michael Carberry did most of the damage, both posting personal one-day-best scores as Hampshire ran up 316 for two from their 50 overs after winning the toss.
Former Zimbabwe international Ervine finished unbeaten on 167, while Carberry scored a first one-day century to finish on 121 not out as the pair put on a Hampshire third-wicket record of 260.
The left-handers made hay in the latter part of the innings, hitting 198 off the last 20 overs, with 134 coming in the final 10.
Johnston was the only Ireland bowler spared in the onslaught as he bowled his 10 overs straight off for 30 runs on his return to the side after a hamstring injury.
Peter Connell was also back after being rested and he was impressive in his first spell, taking the wicket of opener Lumb and conceding just 12 from his first six overs. It was a different story second time around as Ervine and Carberry clubbed 48 off three overs to ruin his figures.
Ireland move on to New Road this morning, where they finish their FP Trophy campaign against Worcestershire tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Eoin Morgan had a mixed day yesterday as he captained Middlesex for the first time in their FP Trophy clash against Warwickshire at Lord’s.
The Dubliner, who is in line to make his England One-Day international debut against the West Indies on Thursday, fell to a golden duck, but his side still went on to secure a four-wicket victory to keep alive their hopes of a place in the quarter-finals.
Rose Bowl Scorecard
HAMPSHIRE
M Lumb c McAllister b Connell 2
J Crawley c O’Brien b Cusack 11
S Ervine not out 167
M Carberry not out 121
Extras (b4 lb1 w10) 15
––––
Total(for 2 wkts, 50 overs) 316
Did not bat:Benham, Mascarenhas, Dawson, Burrows, Cork, Tahir, Taylor.
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-56.
Bowling: P Connell 9-1-60-1; K O'Brien 6-0-50-0; A Cusack 9-1-68-1; T Johnston 10-0-30-0; K McCallan 10-0-62-0; R West 4-0-26-0; A White 2-0-15-0.
IRELAND
R Strydom b Cork 1
J Bray c Dawson b Cork 1
P Stirling b Cork 14
K O’Brien c Lumb b Tahir 94
A White lbw b Cork 9
A Cusack c Carberry b Mascarenhas 41
T Johnston c Cork b Mascarenhas 1
K McCallan lbw b Tahir 23
R West run out 17
F McAllister not out 13
P Connell not out 6
Extras (b3, lb6, w6, nb4) 19
–––––
Total(for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-4, 3-41, 4-65, 5-160, 6-170, 7-180, 8-212, 9-218.
Bowling:Cork 10-2-20-4; Mascarenhas 8-0-43-2; Taylor 8-0-53-0 ; Dawson 10-0-63-0; Tahir 10-0-36-2; Carberry 4-0-15-0.
Hampshire won by 77 runs.
