An understrength Ireland side were well beaten in the opening game of their three-match Twenty20 International series against Scotland at Bready last night, going down by six wickets in the end.
It’s 15 months since Ireland last played a T20 international when they suffered a painful defeat to the Netherlands in Bangladesh, the Dutch chasing down a winning score of 190 within 14.2 overs to deny Ireland a place in the latter stages of the World Twenty20.
New Ireland coach John Bracewell was without eight of his squad that will bid to make next year’s finals in India in July’s qualifier, to be co-hosted with Scotland, and handed out international debuts to Bready opening batsman David Rankin and talented 20-year-old Merrion all-rounder Tyrone Kane.
The pair would provide two of the highlights of the night, with Rankin – a younger brother of former Ireland opening bowler Boyd – top-scoring with 33 from 37 balls in Ireland’s total of 146 for five.
Kane earned his international call on the back of outstanding interprovincial form in the T20 competition which has included a hat-trick as well as a five-wicket haul in three games.
With Scotland motoring towards Ireland’s total after some pretty average bowling and fielding, Kane gave the crowd something to get their teeth into as he removed wicket-keeper Matthew Cross after a brilliant 60 from 34 balls before bowling Michael Leask first ball to put himself on a hat-trick on his international debut.
It wasn’t to be, however, as the experienced Richie Berrington claimed a single to get off the mark first ball.
Undeterred, Kane struck with his next ball to bowl the dangerous Kyle Coetzer for 19 and leave Scotland tottering slightly on 95 for four at the end of the 11th over.
It was to prove a false dawn for Ireland’s bowlers as Berrington (24 not out) and Craig Wallace (26 not out) saw the visitors home with 23 balls to spare.
Ireland skipper Kevin O’Brien, standing in for the absent William Porterfield, had won the toss and put his side in, but Rankin saw three partners go for single scores before he was joined by his captain for a 35-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Well caught Rankin departed after being bowled by Scotland off-spinner Michael Leask, while O’Brien was unlucky to see a shot that looked headed for the deep extra cover boundary well caught by Alasdair Evans off the bowling of Josh Davey.
O’Brien’s departure for 30 off 19 balls left Ireland on 104 for five, with Stuart Thompson (26 not out) and Max Sorensen (23 off 12 ) adding 42 from the final 25 balls of the innings.
Cross and Coetzer then proceeded to take the game away from Ireland with a second-wicket stand of 75 before Kane’s dramatic burst at least slowed down the chase for a while.
The two sides are back in action at the same venue at 5.30pm this evening, with Ireland welcoming back Middlesex batsman Andrew Balbirnie, with Rankin stepping down from the panel.
IRELAND
S Poynter b Sharif 6
D Rankin b Leask 33
J Anderson c Watt b Sharif 9
A Poynter b Leask 7
K O'Brien c Evans b Davey 30
S Thompson not out 26
M Sorensen not out 23
Extras (b1, lb9, nb1, w1) 12
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 ovs) 146
Did not bat: T Kane, G McCarter, A McBrine, C Young.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-34, 3-48, 4-83, 5-104.
Bowling: S Sharif 4-0-31-2; A Evans 4-0-33-0; J Davey 4-0-22-1; M Watt 4-1-27-0; M Leask 4-0-23-2.
SCOTLAND
G Munsey c K O'Brien b Sorensen 12
K Coetzer b Kane 19
M Cross c A Poynter b Kane 60
M Leask b Kane 0
R Berrington not out 24
C Wallace not out 26
Extras (b4, lb1, w3) 9
Total (for 4 wkts, 16.1 ovs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-93, 3-93, 4-94.
Did not bat: P Mommsen, J Davey, A Evans, S Sharif, M Watt.
Bowling: G McCarter 2-0-20-0; C Young 3-0-27-0; M Sorensen 3-0-28-1; K O'Brien 2-0-9-0; A McBrine 2-0-21-0; T Kane 3.1-0-27-3; J Anderson 1-0-13-0. Scotland won by 6 wickets and lead three-match series 1-0.
