Afghanistan scrape to victory over Ireland in first ODI

By Agencies

August 28, 2018

BELFAST: Afghanistan beat Ireland by 29 runs in their first One-day International of a three-match series here on Monday.The pattern through the T20Is had been for the Afghans to bat first, bat big through their top order, and then rely on their spinners to run through Ireland. But on a slow, seaming pitch, they had to find a Plan B, and though the eventual margin wasn’t as large, that they still found success when conditions weren’t conducive.

They first had to negotiate a pair of excellent new-ball spells from Tim Murtagh and Boyd Rankin. The former no longer plays T20s, so was perhaps unfamiliar to the touring side, and he has been in excellent form for Middlesex in red-ball cricket.

The manner of the dismissals he won told of his method and the stickiness of the pitch, with all four batsman playing too early, three lobbing leading edges and one driving uppishly to extra cover. But it was Boyd Rankin, who also bowled excellently, who claimed the prized wicket of young Hazratullah Zazai.

Fresh off consecutive 70-plus scores in the T20Is, the left-hander had looked to be in the same scintillating form, striking a four and a six in his first eight balls, but he was cramped for room by a good short ball, and could only succeed in popping a catch into the infield. Murtagh then removed Ihsanullah for a sedate 24-ball nine.

From 25/2 Afghanistan recovered thanks to the two most significant partnerships of the day, and Gulbadin Naib was part of both of them. His 64, occupying 98 balls and more than two hours and containing just six boundaries, might not have been the prettiest of innings, but it was vital for getting Afghanistan to a par total. Rahmat Shah first gave him belligerent support with a run-a-ball 29 while Hashmatullah Shahidi mirrored Naib’s approach, and if anything out-stonewalled him, managing just three fours.

Between the three of them they pulled Afghanistan to 154/3 after 35 overs, and they might have had hopes of reaching somewhere near 300. But after dismissing Naib, Ireland rallied. For the next seven overs, they didn’t concede a single boundary. And then when they did, Asghar Afghan striking a four and a six off consecutive balls, they struck back straight away, dismissing Afghan from the next ball after that pair, and then claiming two more scalps the over after.

From then, it was about batting out the overs, and though Afghanistan did so, Ireland will have been happy to restrict them to their eventual 227/9.Both opening batsmen, captain William Porterfield and Paul Stirling, fell to half-hearted flashes outside the off-stump, the O’Brien brothers each fell to reckless run-outs. Simi Singh at No 4 was relatively blameless, bowled by the gate by one which gripped from Mohammad Nabi, while perhaps the most frustrating wicket-throwing-away came via Andrew Balbirnie, who swept straight to short fine leg.

Ireland were 130/5, and though they battled hard and still just about remained in contention, they struggled to find any late acceleration – they only found the boundary once between Balbirnie’s dismissal and the end of the game.

Ireland won toss

Afghanistan

Hazratullah Zazai c Singh b Rankin 14

Ihsanullah c & b Murtagh 9

Gulbadin Naib lbw b Rankin 64

Rahmat Shah c Balbirnie b McBrine 29

Hashmatullah Shahidi c Balbirnie b Murtagh 54

*Asghar Afghan c Stirling b Chase 25

Mohammad Nabi c Balbirnie b Murtagh 1

†Shafiqullah c Singh b Rankin 11

Rashid Khan c Balbirnie b Murtagh 1

Aftab Alam not out 11