Australia v Ireland – as it happened

Australia beat Ireland by seven wickets in their opening match of the World Twenty20 thanks in part to a superb 51-run hit from Shane Watson

Shane Watson. Photograph: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP/Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to game two of day two of the fourth World Twenty20. The hosts, Sri Lanka, got things underway on Tuesday in romping style, beating Zimbabwe by 82 runs in Hambantota, and now, in group B, it's the turn of the 2010 runners-up, Australia, to show what they can do.

But, wait, who's this they're facing. It's only Ireland, folks, a nation that knows how to create a 50-over shock (Pakistan, 2007, England, 2011) and will be looking to do the same over 20 overs in Colombo today.

A question: Would it really be a shock if Ireland were to defeat the
Aussies? After all, they were ahead of them in the World T20 rankings
until very recently (it's now Australia - 9th, Ireland - 10th), and have a side that can undoubtedly play a bit, combining the big-hitting qualities of Paul Sterling and Kevin O'Brien with the exciting spin of George Dockrell. Then there is Will Porterfield and Boyd Rankin, who have just helped Warwickshire to the county championship, and Ed Joyce, who is remains a class act.

Saying that, Australia remain a force and will be looking to their likely opening pair of David Werner and Shane Watson to use the batting friendly conditions at the Premadasa Stadium to thwack their side to a decent total. In attack, all eyes will be on the exciting Mitchell Starc, whose pace and swing should be a test for any one.

An intriguing battle awaits, then. It all gets going in an hour ...

Ireland have won the toss and decided to bat. Team news to come....

Teams are in:
Ireland Will Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Niall O'Brien, 5 Gary Wilson (wk), 6 Kevin O'Brien, 7 Trent Johnston, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Nigel Jones, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Alex Cusack. 
Australia Shane Watson, 2 David Warner, 3 Mike Hussey, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 Cameron White, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade, 8 Dan Christian, 9 Brad Hogg, 10 Pat Cummins, 11 Mitchell Starc.

10.54am: Players out in Colombo. It's a humid, sticky day. That might explain why only 10 people have turned out to watch this. Talk about sparse.

10.58am: Nationals anthems done, hands shaken, some crazy music now being played over the PA system as Porterfield and Stirling make their way to the middle.

10.59am: Shane Watson to open the bowling for Australia. Porterfield on strike.

WICKET!! Portferfield c Starc b Watson 0 Blimey, what a start. Watson threw in a short one that Porterfield decided to hook - it caught his top-edge and was taken by Starc at long leg. First-ball, terrible start for the Irish.

1st over: Ireland 4-1 (Stirling 4, Joyce 0) Well's that some opening. The Ireland captain was caught out first ball, his team then started to play nervously against more short stuff from Watson and almost lost another wicket to a run out before Striling got them off the mark by driving a length ball over extra cover.

2nd over: Ireland 6-1 (Stirling 5, Joyce 1) Sterc next up with the new ball for Australia and, bowling over the wicket, has restricted Ireland to a couple of extra runs by bowling a full-ish length. Joyce off the mark with one that was flicked away backward of square.

3rd over: Ireland 13-1 (Stirling 7, Joyce 6) First over for Cummins and it's a tad expensive, mainly due to the second ball of the over which had a poor line and allows Joyce to flick one off leg stump to deep square where it just about trickles over the boundary.

WICKET!! Stirling c Watson b Sterc 7 Another blow for Ireland as Sterling is taken by Watson at third man. The opener was finding his range but, similar to Porterfield, decided to hook a short, wider one, which sailed to deep and was taken well by Watson as he ran around the delivery.

4th over: Ireland 16-2 (Joyce 8, N O'Brien 0) Just when it looked as if Ireland were finding their feet after an extremely nervous start, they lost the second of their opening batsman. Credit to Australia who are bowling well and look sharp in the field.

5th over: Ireland 24-2 (Joyce 16, N O'Brien 0) Pressure on Joyce now to build a score and he'll be pleased to have hit two fours off this over. He pushed Cummins' second ball to mid-on where Watson mis-timed his slide over the ball and allowed it to run underneath his body to the boundary. Joyce then pulled a short ball that was pitched just outside off stump through mid-wicket for his second boundary of the over. Much better stuff from the Irish.

We have our first email of the day and it's come from Graham O'Reilly:
"Could anything be sillier than Australia being rated 10th in the world at T20 ? As the wise man almost said, there are lies, damned lies, statistics and cricket ratings."

A talking point, certainly.

WICKET!! Joyce c Warner b Maxwell 7 Dear, oh dear, oh dear. Glenn Maxwell has been brought into the attack and with his fifth ball of his first over he's snared Joyce into slapping one over the top. It sailed into the hands of David Warner. The nerves are back.

6th over: Ireland 29-3 (N O'Brien 1, Wilson 4) Another wicket lost and Ireland look in real trouble. A run-rate of 4.83 sums up the nervousness with which they've played so far. It's been undecisive, sloppy stuff. At least the over ended with Wilson, the next man in, playing a lovely, delicate drive between cover and mid-off for four.

7th over: Ireland 33-3 (N O'Brien 4, Wilson 5) Dan Christian brought into the attack and it's pretty solid stuff from him. O'Brien gets a couple off a wide-ish ball and another from the next ball playing outside off. Wilson also gets one with a pull shot which, thankfully for Ireland, finds deep square as opposed to the hands of an Aussie fielder.

WICKET!! Wilson lbw b Hogg 5 Brad Hogg brought in and he's snared Wilson with his second ball, a turning delivery that straightens on pitch. Wilson attempted to play across the line. It's plumb.

8th over: Ireland 36-4 (N O'Brien 6, K O'Brien 1) More woe for Ireland as Hogg makes his experience county. Kevin O'Brien comes in for Wilson and we all know he can hit it around a fair bit. Will have to let a few go if Ireland are to do anything in this match. At least he got off the mark with one that was pushed to covers.

9th over: Ireland 41-4 (N O'Brien 6, K O'Brien 1) Watson back into the attack and he's restricted the O'Briens to a few tickly singles and one double off the fourth ball from Kevin. Ireland hardly look like a team in a rush to make runs.

The highlight of the over had to be this from Bumble: "I've got an I-pad. My wife's got an I-ron." Genius.

An interesting email from Stephen Pendle:
"Ireland should be ok at 20-20 as most games here are only 70 to 90 minutes long (hurling, football, soccer, rugby)………it is all about concentration span. How can one expect a test team like Australia to be able to play when there isn't time to talk about seagulls in the outfield."

10th over: Ireland 46-4 (N O'Brien 9, K O'Brien 8) Some decent shots played by the O'Brien brothers off the bowling off Hogg, in particular a sweep from Niall that got him two runs. The O'Briens have 13 runs off 16 balls; the closest thing Ireland have got to a partnership so far today.

David Sloan has been in touch:
"Re: Graham O'Reilly's comment - I'd have to agree. Australia are a plucky little island nation, but there's no way they should be in the top-10." A comment that is looking less smirk-inducing as this match goes on.

12th over: Ireland 62-4 (N O'Brien 14, K O'Brien 19) Much better stuff from Ireland, and Kevin O'Brien in particular who notches up two fours in two balls off the bowling off Hogg, the second a shot picked from the hands and cut through the off side.

13th over: Ireland 69-4 (N O'Brien 14, K O'Brien 25) Christian back on the strike but Kevin O'Brien is the man on the attack, and in more ways than one. He's hit seven off this over, including a four made with a lovely driven shot to mid-off, and also had a word with the umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, about the grief he's been getting off the Aussies, David Warner in particular.

14th over: Ireland 81-4 (N O'Brien 16, K O'Brien 35) Kevin O'Brien has definitely found his feet - two more fours from him off the bowling off Starc, the first a pulled shot, the second a baseball-like drive that sailed through the off-side. He opened up his stance and just belted that. Great stuff.

WICKET!! N O'Brien b Watson 20 Watson strikes again, tricking Niall with a slower ball that is missed by a sweep and thuds the wickets. Ireland's best partnership has ended.

WICKET!! K O'Brien c Wade b Watson 35 Oh that's a huge, huge blow. Kevin O'Brien follows his brother back to the pavilion and having played an exciting innings by nicking a short ball behind him and into the hands off the wicketkeeper.

15th over: Ireland 86-6 (A Cusack 1) Fantastic over from Watson who takes the wickets off both O'Brien brothers, mixing up the slower stuff with some shorter balls.

16th over: Ireland 91-6 (A Cusack 3, T Johnston 3) We're into formality stage now but Hogg will, nevertheless, be peeved at allowing some runs to leak from this over. Only one dot-ball.

17th over: Ireland 101-6 (A Cusack 8, T Johntson 7) Cummins back on strike and, as it's been pointed out by the commentary team, facing two Aussies in Cusack and Johnson. The former cracks a lovely four from the second ball, driving a ball outside off on the up. Johnston then got into the act himself, finding the boundary by lifting the ball over Wade's head. Ireland have their century at least now.

WICKET!! Johnston b Starc 7 And another man has gone and Starc has his second wicket of the day with a superb yorker from over the wicket. It slammed the bottom of off stump.

18th over: Ireland 105-7 (A Cusack 9, Jones 4) Some more fine bowling from Starc as he chucks in some meaty yorkers. New man Nigel Jones is able to get off the mark, however, making two from the fifth ball with a square drive.

19th over: Ireland 111-7 (A Cusack 12, Jones 6) Expensive bowling from Cussack who struggled to find a decent length, particularly to Cummins.

20th over: Ireland 123-7 (A Cusack 15, Jones 14) A needlessly expensive final over from the otherwise excellent Watson. A slow, short bouncer allowed Jones to shift one away to square leg for Ireland's first six of the match. He followed that up with a wide outside off and Cusack and Jones were able to make 12 from the over and pad out an otherwise disappointing total from Ireland, one that was beefed up earlier by the O'Brien brothers. This still looks way short however thanks to some aggressive, varied bowling from the Aussies and some big-stage nerves from Ireland. Their innings got of to the worst start when Will Porterfield was caught out in the very first ball of the match. Shane Watson ends with Australia's best figures of 3-26.

Australia need 124 to win. Back soon.

1st over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 5, Watson 1) A lively start to the Australia innings as Aleem Dar is forced to step in and have a word with the players and tell them to stop the chat - Ireland's wicketkeeper Gary Watson is giving some to David Warner and Shane Watson, no doubt the result of the 'abuse' Ireland were getting from the same pair when they were out in the middle (see pic). Meanwhile, the Aussies start in solid fashion with Warner getting a four from the fifth ball of Boyd Rankin's first over, pulling a shortish delivery towards mid-on.

2nd over: Australia 9-0 (Warner 5, Watson 3) Three gone from Trent Johnston's first over of the match with Watson making his mark with a couple of tidy singles.

3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Warner 6, Watson 10) This has been a good batting wicket and the Aussies are using it better already than Ireland did, playing the pace from the surface to move the ball around the field, seen best by the four Watson has got off Rankin, deflecting an angled-in ball through fine leg. There is more frustration for Ireland as a leading edge from the man on strike loops over mid-on and to safety. Rankin is having a nightmare - he had bowled four wides in this never-ending over.

4th over: Australia 40-0 (Warner 11, Watson 24) A terrible start from Johnston as he bowls a wide delivery from his first ball that Warner is able to drive for four. Watson than reaches the boundary himself, pulling a short ball backward of square. Oh, look, another four from Watson, punishing another wide delivery, this time through the off side....and a six! Watson punishes Johnston further with a shot on the leg side. A terrible over for Ireland, letting three fours and a six go. Australia in total, total control.

5th over: Australia 44-0 (Warner 11, Watson 24) Alex Cusack is brought into the attack and, bowling over the wicket, he is able to curb Australia's flow a little. Three singles and a leg bye given away.

6th over: Australia 53-0 (Warner 20, Watson 26) Bit of excitement in Colombo as 20-year-old George Dockrell is brought into the attack to show off his skillful left-arm spin. He struggles to find his length, though, and Warner is able to knock a full-ish ball at off stump for four. The over ends with the same man getting three runs, this time from a short delivery.

7th over: Australia 60-0 (Warner 26, Watson 27) A little bit of history created as Warner becomes the third man in history to score 1,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket with a four flicked backward of square from yet another wide ball. The other men to reach 1,000 runs? Brendon McCullum and some guy called Kevin Pietersen.

WICKET!! Warner c K O'Brien b Dockrell 26 A breakthrough for Ireland as Warner flicks a delivery from Dockrell to the leg side where it is well caught by O'Brien on the dive.

8th over: Australia 64-1 (Watson 29, Hussey 2) Mike Hussey comes out to bat for Australia and does not take long getting off the mark, moving a full delivery towards long on.

9th/10 over: Australia 91-1 (Watson 51, Hussey 7) Paul Stirling comes back into the attack and becomes the latest man to get smacked around the ground by Watson. Australia's No33 gets a four from an off-spinner that was pitched outside leg-stump and then a six from one that was pitched short. Dockrell then comes into the attack and is also mauled by Watson as he gets another four, stepping back and smashing a short ball over the bowlers head, and another six, this an absolute screamer that sees the ball land in the second tier of the stadium. Watson's gone past 50 and is looking to finish Ireland off on his own.

WICKET!! Watson run out 51 A shame as Australia's man on fire is caught short by Johnston's throw. It was a lazy run by the batsman.

WICKET!! Hussey lbw 10 Another wicket for Kevin O'Brien, catching Hussey with a delivery that shaped back late as Hussey pushed forward.

11th over: Australia 95-3 (White 1) A terrific over from Kevin O'Brien, building on his terrific batting display with some decent bowling. Cameron White and George Bailey are now batting for the Aussies.

12th over: Australia 100-3 (White 4, Bailey 1) Rankin back into the attack and there's some sloppiness on show as K O'Brien fumbles in the field when a clean pick-up would have given Ireland a run-out chance, and then Rankin himself bowls a wide. There then comes frustration for Ireland as Johnston is unable to hold onto White's drive over the top of the bowler with a diving catch. It was a good effort and did at least prevent a boundary.

13th over: Australia 103-3 (White 7, Bailey 1) K O'Brien back in attack but unable to follow his previous blast of an over with another. No boundary's given away, at least, but it's now only a matter of time before Australia wrap this up.

14th over: Australia 110-3 (White 7, Bailey 6) A sluggish over ends in style as Bailey pulls a short ball from Rankin away for a four. Getting closer...

15th over: Australia 121-3 (White 18, Bailey 6) White picks up where Bailey left off by driving K O'Brien for four on the leg side. He finds the boundary again soon after in the deep. Nearly all over.

16th over: Australia 125-3 (White 18, Bailey 6) That's it then, Australia beat Ireland by seven wickets, crowning their opening victory of this World Twenty20 in apt style - White lofting a four over the leg side and towards midwicket. It was only a matter of time after the Aussies had started their innings on fire with openers David Warner and Shane Watson picking off Ireland in style. Watson reached 51 before getting out to a lazy run out and that led to a slowing down of the Aussie run-rate, but they were never going to be denied and where eventually brought home by Cameron White and George Bailey. Ireland, having made a terrible start and finding themsleves at 4-33 at one stage, were soundly beaten. Nerves appeared to get the better off them. They will hope for better in their next Group B match, which is against West Indies on 24 September.

Australia beat Ireland by seven wickets.

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Ditulis oleh: Unknown - Wednesday, September 19, 2012