Clinical Ireland look to make it two-in-two

Overview

Ireland v Papua New Guinea
Harare Sports Club, Harare
CWCQ, Match 5
Tuesday 6 March; 09:30 local time, 07:30 GMT

Two teams that had contrasting results in their opening matches in Group A of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 go head-to-head in the second round of action on Tuesday, 6 March at Harare Sports Club. When they do, Ireland will back themselves to add another win to their kitty, while Papua New Guinea must put up an improved batting show to harbour hopes of upsetting the No.12 team in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings.

In their opening fixture, Alei Nao and Norman Vanua, the right-arm medium pacers, led the way as PNG bowled UAE, World Cup participants in 1996 and 2015, out for 221 in 49.4 overs. The UAE innings was one of two parts: in the first, Rohan Mustafa (95) and Ashfaq Ahmed (50) put up 91 runs for the first wicket before Ahmed was dismissed off the last ball of the 18th over; after that, it was all PNG as they picked up the remaining nine wickets in 31.4 overs for 130 runs. Vanua got four of them and Nao two, while the much talked-about fielding helped PNG send back three UAE batsmen.

That should have given PNG the momentum heading into the break, but with the experienced Mohammad Naveed on song, they were quickly down to 23/4 and had half their side back in the pavilion with just 40 runs on the board. They were eventually bowled out for 113 in 25.5 overs to lose by 56 runs (DLS method).

Six of the PNG batsmen got into double-figures, but none of them could really carry on, which must be a matter of concern for Assadollah Vala, who was one of Naveed’s five wickets on the day.

And it won’t get any easier against the four-pronged Irish pace attack of Tim Murtagh, Barry McCarthy, Boyd Rankin and Kevin O’Brien, who hunted as a pack in the opening game against the Netherlands, picking up nine wickets among them to bowl the opposition out for 149 to script a 93-run win by the DLS method.

Ireland were clinical. Andy Balbirnie might have cornered the attention, and taken the Player of the Match award, for his steady 75-ball 68 in his team’s 268/7, but it was a superb team effort on the whole.

With the bat, there were good hands from William Porterfield (47), Ed Joyce (32) and Niall O’Brien (49) that added to the starring role played by Balbirnie against a good attack. Then it was over to the bowlers – George Dockrell, such a big figure in Irish cricket, didn’t even need to pick up a wicket, so dominant were the pacemen.

More of the same will do nicely for Ireland before they face the big boys of the group – Windies – on 10 March, while for PNG, it’s a chance to up their game and show the world what they are capable of before they also run into Windies on 8 March.

Key players Tim Murtagh (Ireland): If the Harare Sports Club pitch helps pacemen as much as it did in the PNG v UAE game on the opening day, the fast men from Ireland will be in business. The most successful of the Ireland pacers in their first game, Murtagh will want to use all his class and experience, polished over the years at Surrey and Middlesex, to dent the opposition batting early. The 36-year-old swing bowler has had a long and fruitful career and he looks as good as ever.
Mahuru Dai (Papua New Guinea): PNG’s batting in their first game wasn’t much to write home about, and 33-year-old Dai was one of six batsmen to get a start but fail to go on. He hit 12 in 23 balls then, and also sent down a miserly 10 overs for just 36 runs. He has the experience and the performances behind him, and will be one of the players his team looks to in this big game.

ConditionsWhen PNG played UAE at Harare Sports Club, we had a low-scoring game in overcast – and often wet – conditions. There’s no reason to believe it will be too different come Tuesday, even though the forecast is comparatively clearer and the chances of a full 50-overs-a-side game are high.

Squads
Ireland: William Porterfield (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson
Papua New Guinea: Assadollah Vala (c), Charles Amini, Sese Bau, Mahuru Dai, Kiplin Doriga, Jason Kila, Vani Morea, Alei Nao, Damien Ravu, John Reva, Lega Siaka, Chad Soper, Tony Ura, Norman Vanua, Jack Vare (wk)