Afghanistan finish with win, whilst Ireland clinch a thriller
Afghanistan finished its ICC High Performance tour of Australia and New Zealand on a positive note, registering a 16-run win over Auckland. In other matches on Thursday (October 9), Ireland clinched a thriller against ACT Comets while Scotland suffered a defeat against Queensland Academy.
At the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Afghanistan posted 264 for 7 in 50 overs before restricting Auckland to 248 for 9 in a tense finish.
Afghanistan’s innings didn’t start on a positive note with Nawroz Mangal retiring out in the fourth over with just 16 runs on the board. Usman Ghani and Najibullah Zadran then got together to take the innings forward with a 64-run stand before Ghani was dismissed by Ish Sodhi after scoring 44 off 48 balls.
With batsmen getting starts but not going on to get a big one, Afghanistan slipped to 174 for 5 in 39 overs. Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari (32*) then called the shots, counter-attacking the Auckland bowlers and stitched an 84-run stand to propel the visiting side to a competitive total. Stanikzai scored an enterprising 62-ball 47 before being run out by James Baker.
In reply, though Joe Carter was dismissed for 15, Bharat Popli (58) and Brad Wilson (30) kept the bowlers at bay, adding 74 runs for the second wicket to help the hosts cross the 100-run mark.
However, the Afghanistan bowlers clawed their way back into the game with regular strikes, and even with Tim Seifert holding one end up with an unbeaten 30-ball 51, Mohammad Nabi, the captain, defended 17 runs in the last over to give the visitors a confidence boosting win.
Elsewhere at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, Stuart Poynter and Graeme McCarter held their nerves to give Ireland a one-wicket win over the ACT Comets.
Batting first, Comets got off to a bad start, losing both openers with just 18 runs on the board. While Matthew Condon and Patrick Pisel (33) steadied the innings, a splendid fourth wicket stand of 149 in 20.4 overs between Condon and Andrew Harriott (62) helped the Comets’ post 305 for 6. Condon went on to score 126 runs off 128 balls before being dismissed in the 42 over, bowled by Peter Chase.
Chasing 306 for victory, William Porterfield (42) and the in-form Niall O’Brien (36) gave Ireland a brisk start, scoring 75 runs for the first wicket in 11.2 overs. Andrew Balbirnie anchored the innings and scored a 90-ball 86 before he was dismissed in the 46th over with still 21 runs required.
However, the lower-order batsmen hung around as McCarter helped Ireland cross the line with ten balls with spare.
Upcoming Fixtures
16 October – Ireland v Northern Districts, Seddon Park, Hamilton (day/night)
18 October – Ireland v New Zealand XI, Seddon Park, Hamilton (day/night)
21 October – Ireland v Canterbury, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln
23 October – Ireland v Otago, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln
Upcoming Fixtures
15 October – Scorland v New Zealand XI, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln
17 October – Scorland v Canterbury, Hagley Oval, Christchurh
22 October – Scorland v Otago