Fri, 18 Mar 2011 - Ireland vs Netherlands, World Cup 2011, 37th match Group B - Bulletin

Ireland sign off in a Stirling way

Paul Stirling slammed a memorable 72 –ball 101 as Ireland signed off their world cup campaign in style with a comprehensive 6 wickets victory over the Netherlands in a group B encounter at Eden Gardens on Friday.

Chasing an imposing total of 306 runs, Ireland got off to a flying start with Paul Stirling and skipper William Porterfield sharing a record-breaking 177 – highest ever for the Ireland for the first wicket.

Stirling was in a Sehwag-kind of mood as he blew the Dutch attack to smithereens with his powerful shots on either side of the wicket. Porterfield, on the other hand, was more than content with his role of second fiddle as he nudged and caressed his way to a gritty 93-ball 68 before perishing to a catch behind the sumps off Cooper.

Though Stirling, who was also named man of the match, departed immediately after completing his 2nd ODI ton, the experienced Nail O’ Brien held the innings together with a 58-ball 57 to ensure a facile Irish win with 16 balls to spare.

The proverbial coup de grace was performed by Kevin O’ Brien who hoisted Seelaar over the long off fence to wrap up the game.

This is Ireland’s second successful 300+ run chase in this world cup and thus the team has earned the enviable distinction of becoming the first side in the annals of the world cup to have done so on two occasions.

For the Netherlands, Cooper claimed two wickets while Doeschate and Seelaar claimed a wicket each.

Earlier after losing the toss and batting first, the Dutch amassed a massive total of 306 runs courtesy a second world cup hundred by their premier batsmen Ryan Ten Doeschate and a blazing 82-ball 84 by skipper Peter Borren.

Netherlands were reeling at a precarious 113 for 4 in the 22nd over before these two staged a sparkling 123-run stand for the fifth wicket to take the team’s total towards 300.

Netherlands could have finished even in the excess of 320 had it not been for an absurd running between the wicket in the last over that resulted in as many as 4 run outs.

For Ireland, Stirling and Mooney claimed two wickets each while Johnston and Rankin scalped one wicket a piece.

Openers take control of Irish run chase

In what could be termed a Sehwagesque innigs, Paul Stirling blasted a 25-ball 50 to get Ireland off to a flying start in the reply to Netherlands’s imposing total of 306 runs.

Giving him company was skipper William Porterfield who was content to play his role of second fiddle. The duo sent the Dutch bowlers to a leather hunt as Ireland coasted to 131 for no loss in 20 overs.

Walking out to bat amidst a daunting task of chasing 307, Irish openers went after the Dutch attack from the very first over. And as it is said attack is often the best defense, Irish ploy of going for early onslaught came off well with Netherlands’ bowling attack soon appearing out of sorts.

Netherlands need breakthrough at this stage to stop Ireland from becoming the first side in the history of the world cup to successfully chase a score of over 300 runs on two occasions.

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