Ian Callender
14 August 2001
Different country, different team but the same result for Ireland as they
started their Triple Crown campaign with defeat by Wales in Horsham
yesterday.
From 89 for one, Ireland slumped to 149 all out and although they reduced the Welsh to 134 for eight in reply, Adrian McCoubrey and Kyle McCallan could not take the final two wickets before the winning runs were scored.
An exciting finish, yes, but then so were the ICC Trophy games against Holland and Denmark last month and Ireland lost both of those as well. Losing the close games is becoming a habit for this squad. The first game of Triple Crown tournaments have not always been about results however. Four years ago, Ed Joyce made his senior Ireland debut and, on the tournament's return to England, this was the day that Jordan McGonigle burst onto the international scene.
The Donemana slow left armer not only took his first two wickets on his debut but conceded just 17 runs in his 10 overs, as many as Ricky McDaid conceded in just three and 24 less than his captain. His first wicket came in his fifth over when he had the Welsh opener Andrew Jones caught at cover to end the second wicket stand of 64 and in his ninth over he gave Ireland another lifeline when he won a leg before decision against Kristian Bell. Wales were then 110 for six.
A run out upped the ante with Wales still 27 short of victory and when Conor Armstrong - who was given the new ball at the start of the innings - struck in the only over of his third spell, Ireland seemed on course for a dramatic comeback. It was not to be.
The Ireland innings could not have got off to a better start with Andrew White, back at the top of the order for the first time in six matches, and Andrew Patterson putting on 66 for the first wicket in just 15 overs. Peter Davy then joined the Cliftonville wicket-keeper to add another 23 but when that stand was broken it was the first of four wickets to fall in 15 balls for one run, Dom Joyce stumped second ball and McCallan caught behind from his fifth ball. Even in Canada, Ireland did not endure a collapse on that scale.
Peter Gillespie, in his first international innings since last year's European Championships in Scotland, stayed 34 balls, Armstrong faced 51 but Ireland were bowled out with more than five overs unused.
Today Ireland travel to Stirlands to play the England XI who yesterday beat Scotland by 33 runs, and only the uncapped John Mooney and Peter Shields, who has played one game in each of the last two seasons, are available to come into the team. The tournament is already about salvaging pride.
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