CRICKET:PAUL STIRLING starts his A level examinations next week, but yesterday he passed his final test ahead of the announcement of Ireland's Twenty20 World Cup squad with a cracking innings of 80 against Leicestershire.
It wasn’t enough to earn victory in the rain-shortened, 31-over Friends Provident fixture, as the Foxes chased down the target of 198 with two overs to spare to win by seven wickets; but it may just have persuaded Ireland coach Phil Simmons to include the 18-year-old Belfast High School student in his 15-man squad.
With Eoin Morgan named in England’s squad for the event, Simmons does have a vacancy at number three in the batting order, and Stirling’s second half-century in three games this season may be hard to ignore.
He may not offer the all-round options that the shortest form of the game calls for, but his pure ball-striking and exquisite timing could provide the antidote to the loss of Morgan.
It was Stirling’s highest international score and fourth half-century, three of which have come against county sides in this competition, as Ireland made 197 for five after being put in to bat.
With Gary Wilson having been called up on Sunday night by Surrey, Simmons promoted Waringstown’s James Hall to the top of the order to open alongside Jeremy Bray, who also took over the wicketkeeping duties.
Hall didn’t last long, as New Zealand international Iain O’Brien deceived him with a slower delivery with the fifth ball of the first over to bring Stirling to the wicket.
The second-wicket pairing added 30 before a mix-up left Bray well short of his ground after he had made 14. Andrew Poynter was bowled shortly after for one by Wayne White to leave Ireland on 44 for three and in need of a decent partnership.
Kevin O’Brien and Stirling provided it, putting on 110 off 107 deliveries in Ireland’s best stand of the tournament. They enjoyed some luck along the way, with Stirling dropped on 38 before going on to bring up his half-century off 58 balls.
Stirling was also shelled on 62, but went on to pass his previous best for Ireland and bring up the century partnership with a cracking square cut through the covers off O’Brien.
A massive six that sailed 20 yards over the boundary rope was another highlight, before O’Brien exacted revenge when he trapped the right-hander leg-before for 80 with the score on 154.
Kevin O’Brien and John Mooney (19) added a quick-fire 37, with O’Brien remaining undefeated on a run-a-ball 67 as Ireland posted 197.
It was a challenging target for a home side that have had a poor start to the season, but yet again Leicestershire found a batting hero in HD Ackerman as they claimed their first victory of the season.
The former South African Test player scored a century in the fixture last year and repeated the dose yesterday with an unbeaten 118 off just 87 deliveries.
He shared a second-wicket partnership of 107 with 19-year-old James Taylor (48) that dispelled any nerves among the home fans.
Ireland skipper Kyle McCallan did have some success, removing Taylor and South African Boeta Dippenaar in the space of four balls, but it only delayed the inevitable as Ackerman and Paul Nixon knocked off the final 55 runs in just six overs.
Ireland are back in action on Sunday when the North West stages its first Friends Provident Trophy match in 13 years when Hampshire are the visitors to Eglinton in Derry.
Scoreboard
Leicestershire won the toss & fielded.
IRELAND
J Bray run out 14
J Hall b O’Brien 0
P Stirling lbw b O’Brien 80
A Poynter b White 1
K O’Brien not out 67
J Mooney c O’Brien b Wyatt 19
A White not out 1
Extras (lb4 nb8 w3) 15
–––
Total (for 5 wkts, 31 ovs) 197
Did not bat:K McCallan, R Strydom, R West, P Connell.
Fall of wickets:1-1, 2-31, 3-44, 4-154, 5-191.
Bowling:I O'Brien 7-0-36-2; H Gurney 6-0-50-0; W White 5-0-36-1; A Wyatt 6-0-31-1; C Crowe 6-0-30-0; J Taylor 1-0-10-0.
LEICESTERSHIRE
M Boyce c Poynter b O’Brien 16
H Ackerman not out 118
J Taylor b McCallan 48
B Dippenaar c Stirling b McCallan 1
P Nixon not out 15
Extras (lb2 w1) 3
–––
Total(for 3 wkts, 29 ovs) 201
Did not bat:J Cobb, W White, C Crowe, I O'Brien, H Gurney, A Wyatt.
Fall of wickets:1-37, 2-144, 3-146.
Bowling:P Connell 7-0-63-0; K O'Brien 4-0-20-1; J Mooney 5-0-38-0; R West 5-0-29-0; K McCallan 5-0-29-2; R Strydom 3-0-20-0.
Leicestershire bt Ireland by 7 wickets.
