Gareth Delany was the star man as the Ireland men’s cricket team bounced back from their weekend defeat to the UAE with a comprehensive win against Oman.
Ireland lost the toss in Abu Dhabi this afternoon and were sent in to bat having arrived at the ground without in-form batter Andy Balbirnie who had succumbed to an illness and was ruled out of the game.
Ireland’s top order batters were in a positive mood, looking to make amends for the last match loss to UAE on Saturday, and Paul Stirling (11) and Kevin O’Brien (41) started out by putting on 34 for the first wicket from just over four overs.
During the partnership, O’Brien hit a massive six over mid-wicket early, which broke a world record for the most sixes hit by a batsman in T20 International cricket in a calendar year (35 to date), and despite losing Paul Stirling soon after for 11, Ireland’s run rate did not abate.
Gareth Delany, in only his 12th T20 International since making his debut in July, smashed 89* from 49 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes.
The 22-year old's innings was Ireland’s third-highest individual score in T20 internationals, with the five highest individual T20 international scores now all coming in 2019.
Losing his partner O’Brien with the score on 76 in the 10th over, Delany was joined by 19-year old Harry Tector and the run rate accelerated further.
Tector hit two sixes and a boundary in his innings of 28, with he and Delany sharing a quickfire 43-run stand.
Tector's dismissal saw Mark Adair come to the crease, but the usually big-hitting Adair took on the support role and let Delany continue to pummel the Omani attack.
The pair put on 64 runs in the last five overs, with Adair contributing 11 of those. Delany was in the zone - at one stage took 33 runs from 11 balls.
Ireland finished its 20 overs with 183-3, setting the Oman side a challenging target on a slowly wearing pitch.
In response, Oman were never really in the running and despite some big hitting by opener Khawar Ali (50 from 34 balls), the Omani batters couldn’t keep pace with a steadily increasing run rate required.
The Irish bowlers took wickets at regular intervals, not letting their opponents build a threatening partnership and Delany completed his ‘on-song’ day by claiming 2-29 from four overs, including the wicket of Ali.
Mark Adair again bowled well taking 2-24, and George Dockrell chimed in with 2-24 and while only claiming a single scalp, the pace and bounce of Boyd Rankin was difficult for Oman to handle, as he ended with 1-20 from his four overs.
Oman finished on 148-9, with Ireland winning by 35 runs.
Next up for Ireland is a match against Canada this Wednesday.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Ireland’s Qualifier fixtures – group stage
- 23 October: Ireland v Canada
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; start 2.10pm local time / 11.10am Irish time
Broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket - 25 October: Ireland v Jersey
ADC 1, Abu Dhabi; start 10am local time / 7am Irish time - 26 October: Ireland v Nigeria
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; start 10am local time / 7am Irish time
Broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket
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