Tue, 12 Jul 2011 - Scotland vs Ireland, Tri-Nation Tournament in Scotland 2011, Only ODI - Bulletin

Scotland win battle of Associates

Riding on the solid performances from their batsmen, hosts Scotland chased down a mammoth target of 321 without much of a fuss to hand over a five wicket defeat to their compatriots Ireland at Edinburgh. Number six batsman Richie Berrington scored a whirlwind 20-ball fifty after both the openers and Josh Davey had covered a major ground in the big run chase.

The home team needed 89 runs in the last ten overs with Davey and Berrington at the crease and batting powerplay in the bank. Berrington didn’t waste time belting two fours and six maximums in his 23-ball 56 while Davey anchored other end to remain undefeated on a well made 50 as Scotland romped home with nine balls to spare. The victory over arch-rivals sent players and home crowd into wild celebration.

In its pursuit of a huge target, Scottish openers, Kyle Coetzer in particular, started off in an aggressive fashion hitting boundaries at an ease. The pair put on 129 inside twenty overs propelling their team to a winnable position. Fraser Watts was first to go hitting 54 off 60 balls but Coetzer continued on his merry way belting Irish bowlers to all corners of the ground.

The aggressive opener added another crucial 52 alongwith Calum Macleod for the second before falling to Boyd Rankin for 89 and hitting two sixes and ten fours in his 85 balls stay. Rankin accounted for Macleod too and when George Dockrell snaffled Mommsen in the 40th over, Scotland looked in a spot of bother.

With two ne batters at the crease and required run rate over 9 runs an over, Irish side would have thought of a victory. Berrington in Davey’s company had other thoughts spoiling Ireland’s party big time.

Earlier, opener Paul Stirling enhanced his reputation of being the most enterprising young batting talent in Ireland by scoring a sparkling 95-ball 113 to propel his side to a huge total. A score in excess of 300 was made possible by solid contributions from A Cusack and A Poynter besides Stirling’s fourth ODI ton.

The young batsman, who brought up his century off 92 balls, had two productive stands including solid 63 in company of his skipper William Porterfield for the opening wicket. After losing his captain, Stirling added quick fire 119 for the second wicket with Cusack as diminutive opener unfurled some cracking pull shots and lofted drives to put home team bowlers under pump. Scotland bowlers dished up some hittable line and lengths under Stirling’s assault. He hit ten fours and half a dozen sixes before offering a simple catch to Berrington but not before giving his side a solid launch pad for quick runs.

Cusack, happy to play second fiddle to Stirling’s fireworks, upped the ante after opener’s wicket and combined with Poynter for another fruitful stand. The pair added 85 runs in less than ten overs with Poynter hitting five fours and two sixes in his whirlwind 34-ball 51.

Irish side was on course for a 350 plus score with scoreboard reading 267/2 in 41st over but L Mommsen and J Davey took a flurry of wickets to peg them back. Cusack departed for a well made 71 and it needed some late order hitting from Wilson and Trent Johnston to take score to 320.

For Scotland, Mommsen and Davey were the most successful bowlers taking three wickets each.