HOBART: Ireland’s Curtis Campher and George Dockrell combined in an unbroken 119-run stand to take their side to an unlikely six-wicket win over Scotland in the T20 World Cup win in Hobart and keep them in the hunt to qualify for the Super 12 phase.

The Irish looked headed for a second straight defeat in Group ‘B’ when they were reduced to 61-4 in the 10th over chasing a daunting 177-run target to stay alive in the tournament before Campher and Dockrell came together at the crease.

Campher, who also picked up two wickets for nine runs with the ball, smashed an unbeaten 72 off 32 balls while Dockrell stayed for 39 not out as Ireland turned the match on its head to bring up victory with an over to spare.

It was their first win of the tournament after crashing to Zimbabwe on Monday and leaves Group ‘B’ wide open.

“Pretty special, I can’t remember a more important partnership,” said Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie after their highest ever successful run chase at a World Cup.

“We have played some great cricket throughout the year, only to fall away towards the end, but credit to the guys for the partnership.”

Ireland lost Balbirnie and Paul Stirling cheaply but Lorcan Tucker (20) and Harry Tector (14) put on 28 before both departed within six balls.

But the momentum shifted with Dockrell and Campher at the crease as they began swinging the bat, hitting 18 off one Mark Watt over.

They reduced the runs needed to 52 off the last five overs and kept the pressure on to get over the finishing line.

“The aim was to take early wickets, put them under pressure, but credit to Campher and Dockrell for that flawless partnership, they took the game away from us,” said Scotland skipper Richard Berrington.

A sparkling 86 from opener Michael Jones helped Scotland post 176-5 after they won the toss and chose to bat first.

After humbling two-time champions West Indies in their opening match, Scotland made a shaky start against the Irish but a 77-run third-wicket stand between Jones and captain Richie Berrington helped them lay the foundation.

Jones hit six fours and four sixes in his 55-ball knock while Berrington made 37 to lay the foundation for the late assault which fetched the Scots 54 runs in the last five overs.

Scotland v Ireland

Scoreboard

SCOTLAND:

G. Munsey lbw b Adair 1

M. Jones c Adair b Little 86

M. Cross c McCarthy b Campher 28

R. Berrington c Dockrell b Campher 37

M. Leask not out 17

C. MacLeod run out (Tucker) 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1, W-4) 7

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 176

DID NOT BAT: C. Greaves, M. Watt, J. Davey, S. Sharif, B. Wheal

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Munsey), 2-60 (Cross), 3-137 (Berrington), 4-170 (Jones), 5-176 (MacLeod)

BOWLING: Little 4-0-30-1 (1w), Adair 4-0-23-1 (2w), McCarthy 4-0-59-0 (1w, 1nb), Delany 3-0-28-0, Singh 2-0-16-0, Campher 2-0-9-2, Dockrell 1-0-9-0

IRELAND:

P. Stirling c Cross b Sharif 8

A. Balbirnie c Jones b Wheal 14

L. Tucker c Davey b Watt 20

H. Tector c Greaves b Leask 14

C. Campher not out 72

G. Dockrell not out 39

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-9) 13

TOTAL (for four wkts, 19 overs) 180

DID NOT BAT: G. Delany, M. Adair, S. Singh, B. McCarthy, J. Little

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-22 (Balbirnie), 2-29 (Stirling), 3-57 (Tucker), 4-61 (Tector)

BOWLING: Watt 4-0-39-1 (2w), Wheal 4-0-25-1, Davey 4-0-46-0 (1w), Sharif 3-0-32-1 (1w), Greaves 2-0-18-0 (1w), Leask 2-0-16-1

RESULT: Ireland won by six wickets.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022