CRICKET/INTERCONTINENTAL CUP:NIALL O'BRIEN and Trent Johnston showed yesterday that records, however old, are there to be broken as they helped Ireland assume complete control on the second day of their Intercontinental Cup tie against United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi.
Coming together on 203 for six and still 25 runs behind the UAE, the pair put on 163 for the seventh wicket in just 35 overs as Ireland finished the day on 366 for seven to forge 138 runs ahead and claim the six bonus points on offer for leading after the first innings.
The record books were dusted off to reveal their heroics had eclipsed the seventh-wicket stand of 150 set by William Hone and WS Ashton 140 years ago against London side I Zingari at the Phoenix Park.
Northamptonshire wicket-keeper O'Brien finished the day unbeaten on 137 off 237 balls, the second time he has passed three figures against the UAE, while Johnston fell to the last ball of the day after an enterprising 69 from 95 deliveries.
"It was a truly exceptional partnership - not just the amount of runs, but the way the runs came, full of good attacking shots. That has put us very much in the driving seat," remarked Ireland coach Phil Simmons.
O'Brien was keen to credit his captain after he claimed his fourth international century and a third in this competition.
"It's nice to bat with someone who scores so freely. It took the pressure to score off me a lot," said O'Brien, who brought up his century with his 14th boundary off 195 deliveries.
This morning the 26-year-old from Sandymount will have his eye on his personal best of 176, set against the same opposition three years ago in Namibia.
Meanwhile, the newly constituted Board of Irish Cricket has confirmed that the proposed new Dublin cricket venue will stage Ireland's One Day International against England in 2011. The 2009 fixture will take place at Stormont in Belfast.
The board also announced the trading name of Irish Cricket Union Ltd has been changed to Cricket Ireland.
Abu Dhabi, Day Two
Overnight: UAE 228 (S Zia 56, N Aslam 49, A Raza 46; A Cusack 2-13, D Langford-Smith 2-26, T Johnston 2-40). Ireland 46-1.
Ireland first innings
W Porterfield lbw Zahid 25
P Stirling b Alhashmi 2
E Morgan lbw Raza 47
N O'Brien not out 137
K O'Brien c A Ali b Raza 33
A Botha lbw S Ali 19
A Cusack lbw b Zahid 4
T Johnston c A Ali b S Ali 69
Extras (b5 lb6 nb17 w2) 30
Total (for 7 wkts, 100.2 ovs) ... 366
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-67, 3-102, 4-166, 5-197, 6-203, 7-366.
To bat: K McCallan, G Thompson, D Langford-Smith.
Bowling: Z Shah 23-2-116-2; F Alhashmi 9-2-33-1; S Sarwar 11-2-41-0; S Zia 16-1-63-0; S Ali 17.2-2-55-2; Ahmad Raza 24-3-47-2.
