CRICKET:A STRIKE-RATE of 54 in a one-day international would rarely grab the limelight, but in the context of Ireland's 59-run win over Afghanistan in yesterday's World Cup qualifier in Clontarf, Ed Joyce was a slow-scoring superstar.
The 33-year-old left-hander has played some key knocks down the years, especially so in World Cup qualifiers, and yesterday he dominated a low-scoring affair as his unbeaten 67 from 124 deliveries proved the glue that helped a wobbly batting line-up post a score of 163 all out, a total that was to prove more than adequate.
It leaves Ireland three points clear at the top of the table in the search for one of the two places on offer for the 2015 World Cup and Joyce was happy with the return after losing the first game to the weather. “We would have liked to have played the other game, but we’ve got three points from four against a very strong side and if we’d been given that beforehand, we would have probably taken it,” said Joyce.
Afghanistan never recovered from losing skipper Karim Sadiq off the last ball of Trent Johnston’s opening over.
In a brilliant new-ball spell, Johnston also removed Afghanistan’s other top blade, when wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad was caught low down at backward point by Ireland skipper William Porterfield.
Middlesex seamer Tim Murtagh, taking the new ball for the first time, bowled three overs before being replaced by Clontarf local Alex Cusack to devastating effect. Cusack was on target from the off, his accuracy and deceptive pace helping him bowl Asgar Stanikzai and Javed Ahmadi in his first two overs before he trapped Mohammad Nabi leg-before to reduce the Afghans to 33 for five in the 13th over.
The visitors were missing a batman of Joyce’s experience and skill to bed down their reply, with Najibullah Zadran hitting off-spinner Paul Stirling’s second ball down the throat of John Mooney at long-on after he had made 23.
George Dockrell also struck in his first over, with Trent Johnston taking Gulbadin Naib at slip for 19, while Johnston ran out Samiullah Shenwari with a direct hit after Mooney relayed the ball.
There was a couple of lusty blows from the tail but from 89 for eight there was to be no way back, with Dockrell and Stirling wrapping up matters as Afghanistan were bowled out for 104.
Joyce, who took the man of the match honours, praised Johnston and Cusack and held his hand up for his part in Kevin O’Brien’s run-out after the big right-hander had made 31 off 32 deliveries. It was the most fluent knock of the day on a pitch that was only put into play in the morning after the original was ruled out due to the state of the bowler run-ups. Joyce made up for it by staying in until the last wicket fell, guiding the tail to perfection in putting on 57 for the final two wickets with Murtagh and Dockrell.
