Day 1 and Day 2 The first and second days of Ireland’s Intercontinental Cup game against Afghanistan at Rathmines were abandoned because of a sodden outfield.

Day 3
Nick Royle (Setanta) reports:
Having tried their hand at tennis and bowls in the washed-out first two days of the Intercontinental Cup game against Afghanistan, Ireland's cricketers showed that they are no slouches at their chosen game either. After two days of trying to fill the long hours of inaction, play eventually started at 2pm on the third day, and within thirty overs Ireland had dismissed the Afghans for 84 all out.

Trent Johnston (2-7), Max Sorensen (4-39) and Alex Cusack (4-31) were the wicket takers, with Afghanistan unable to cope with the seaming ball on a very green wicket at Rathmines. It has been a rotten tour for the Afghans, who have only had one full day of cricket thanks to the all-too-predictable Irish weather. But 84 all out was still a paltry effort in the light of Ireland's response.

Phil Simmons' men ended the day on 126-2 after 32 overs, with Gary Wilson 21 not out and Cusack undefeated on 34 at the close. But that score came about through application and resolve, with even the usually free-scoring Paul Stirling buckling down for almost 22 overs for a hard-earned 42 before being caught at slip off the bowling of Karim Sadiq. Wilson admits that Afghanistan struggled against the moving ball, but felt that they did not try to adapt their game to the unfamiliar conditions.

"Our plan was to bowl the ball on a good length and hope the wicket would produce a little bit of movement for us," he said. "Their techniques are set up for batting on slow flat wickets, and obviously this wicket did a bit. But we ended the day 126-2,so the wicket is not a shocker."

There are a possible 104 overs available on the final day, and Ireland captain Kevin O'Brien thinks that there is more than enough time to set Afghanistan a target and bowl them out for a second time. "We are in the driving seat and we have the first innings lead and the six points for that. If we can get a full day in, and have 60 or 70 overs at Afghanistan, we would certainly fancy our chances," he said.

The Intercontinental Cup is the four-day tournament for non-Test playing nations, and Afghanistan are the current holders of the title. Ireland are three-time winners of the I-Cup, and a fourth victory is essential if they are to convince the ICC that they are worthy of achieving their long-term goal of playing Test cricket by 2020.

Ireland lead the current I-Cup table with 60 points thanks to three wins from three matches against Canada, Namibia and Kenya. Afghanistan lie in third with 37 points from three games. Ireland's first innings lead from this rain-affected game means that they are already assured of 13 points if they avoid defeat, with another seven up for grabs should they complete victory on Thursday.

Ian Callender (Irish Daily Mail) reports:
The rain returned to Rathmines with a vengeance just before 7.30pm but Ireland didn’t mind. It was half an hour after the close of a successful day’s play which sends Kevin O’Brien’s side into the final three session with the possibility of claiming 20 points for an outright win. After two blank days when a damp patch at the side of the square had stubbornly refused to dry, everyone - players and umpires - had almost given up on this Intercontinental Cup game. But, the sun finally came out, play got under way at 2pm and less than five hours later Ireland had extended their lead at the top of the table.

Afghanistan were bowled out for 84 in under 30 overs and when Ireland passed that total for the loss of two wickets, they had six points for the first innings lead. They are virtually assured of seven points for a draw and anything else on the final day will be a bonus. Yet, Ireland resume this morning with a lead of 42, still with eight wickets standing, and depending on how much impact last night’s rain made on the outfield, remarkably, they will be targeting the win points with a declaration and a second impressive bowling performance.

Only three bowlers were needed to take the 10 Afghan wickets and Stuart Thompson, the Limavady all-rounder given his first cap, is still waiting to get into the action. Sorensen had made a slow start, conceding 10 runs in his first over and three boundaries in his first two, but when he bowled Asghar Stanikzai to reduce Afghanistan to 37 for two, The Hills pace man never looked back and wrapped up the innings with his fourth wicket.

Leading from the front, yet again, was Trent Johnston, who bowled Afghan captain Karim Sadiq with his third ball and by the time he took his sweater after eight overs, had figures of two for seven. Backing him up superbly was Alex Cusack who carried on where he left off in last week’s ODI between the teams. The Clontarf all-rounder loves bowling against Afghanistan. He claimed his best international figures of five for 20 against them in Rotterdam two years ago and yesterday he finished with four for 31, his best analysis in first class cricket. Remarkably, he had taken only one three-for in his previous eight four-day games.

At tea, taken at the end of the Afghanistan innings, there was still doubt over how much help the pitch had given the Irish bowlers – after all, it been under cover for the previous two days and whichever captain won the toss was always going to bowl first. But Ireland showed how easy it was with a patient opening stand of 49 in 16 overs, with even the normally free-scoring Paul Stirling in four-day mode. He has still hit the only six of the innings but he took 64 balls over his 42. Opening partner Andrew Balbirnie bettered his previous best score for Ireland before he was caught at third slip.

But Cusack (seven fours in 34) and Gary Wilson (four in 21) were in control at the end and would love to continue today and assert Ireland’s dominance and claim a remarkable win. O’Brien hasn’t given up on converting the six points into 20, as he confirmed just before the rain fell on Rathmines.

“The key is to wake up in the morning fully refreshed and fully focused. We are not going to set any targets. We are in the driving seat with the first innings points and if we have a full day and 60-70 overs against Afghanistan we would certainly fancy our chances. "It was always going to be a win the toss and bowl first pitch and that was the only way we had a chance of winning. And with the bowlers putting in a huge performance and the top four (batsmen) putting us in a strong position, a win is on the cards if we bat well for 20-25 overs in the morning,” the captain said.

He was also able to look back on an almost perfect day. “Once the conditions dried up and allowed us to get onto the field, TJ started well, Cusi was fantastic again and Max finished well. There were a couple of dropped catches which if we are being picky, that’s the things we have to hold on to. But the batters picked up where the bowlers left off and we are in a very strong position," he added.

“With the ball nipping around, the Afghans are less comfortable in these conditions so we knew if we put the ball in the right areas that we would get wickets. It showed the way they batted, not using their feet and just playing with their hands and they give us plenty of chances.”

Day 4
Irish Indepndent reports:
Stuart Thompson took his first international wickets as Ireland came tantalisingly close to pulling off a remarkable victory over Afghanistan at Rathmines yesterday before settling for a draw in the rain-ruined InterContinental Cup clash. Gary Wilson top-scored with 73 as Ireland extended their overnight lead of 42 to 167 before declaring on 251-4 and asking the IC Cup holders to bat two and a bit sessions to save face after being dismissed for only 84 on Wednesday.

If a dolly had been held at square leg off the bowling of Trent Johnston just before lunch, Ireland might have roared through the breach, but the ball hit the turf and the Afghan openers added a further 103 before they were separated by spinner Albert van der Merwe. Thompson, a lively medium pacer who is attracting the attention of Somerset and Kent, then hit the stumps for his first wicket on his senior debut and had a comfortable catch taken at slip in his next over.

With time running out, the 20-year-old from County Derry claimed a third victim, his final figures were 3-51, but two balls later Ireland were again guilty of dropping a crucial chance when an edge was spilled at third slip. Still the home side kept chipping away with Max Sorensen adding two wickets to his four in the first innings and when Andrew White had a chance held at slip in his first over, Afghanistan were only 18 runs ahead with three wickets left.

Time was against Ireland, though -- more than half the scheduled four-day game had been lost to the weather -- and an unbeaten half-century from Asghar Stanikzai was just enough to save the defending champions, who closed on 208-7. Ireland collected a total of 13 points -- seven for the draw (because more than 10 hours were lost to the weather) and six for a first-innings lead -- and extended their advantage at the top of the InterContinental Cup ladder to 21 over Scotland, with Afghanistan a further two points adrift in third.

As Afghanistan and Scotland still have to play each other, Ireland probably only need one win from their remaining three games against the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Scotland to secure a place in next year's final.

Ger Siggins (Irish Daily Star) reports:
Ireland stormed 21 points clear at the top of the Intercontinental Cup table after their battle with Afghanistan ended in a draw. But a stirring debut display by Stuart Thompson of Limavady gave them a sniff of victory before the visitors shut up shop and time ran out. “Stu hit a great line and length from the bottom end”, said Kevin O’Brien, who was standing in as captain for William Porterfield.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him play, he’s athletic and very quick around the ground. He made the ball talk there for a while when the game was drifting. He beats the edge and got a couple of nicks and we held them. He has a big couple of months coming up.” Ireland batted on yesterday to extend their first innings lead to 168, but just couldn’t get the Afghans out.

“They batted a lot better than the first innings”, said O’Brien. “We knew they were going to put up a better fight and the wicket was always going to flatten out. It was a little bit disappointing not to push home the victory but we weren’t too far away.” Ireland’s usually impeccable fielding slipped a notch and a couple of crucial chances went a-begging. “We dropped two in first innings and two in the second that would have set us on our way, but that’s cricket,” the captain said.

Ireland resumed in the morning 42 ahead, but soon lost Alex Cusack for 38. Gary Wilson and Andrew White saw off the early spite in the pitch and put on a stand of 119 in 25 overs. White continued his extraordinary record in this event – he averages 65 – and Wilson made his highest first-class score for Ireland. Wilson was out for 70, and O’Brien immediately declared on 252-4 with White 62 not out. The Afghan openers Javed Ahmadi and Karim Sadiq put on 106 for the first wicket as O’Brien tried eight different bowlers – but not himself – in a bid to make the breakthrough. Albert van der Merwe broke the stand thanks to a great catch by John Mooney which cost the North County man a dislocated thumb.

Thompson (3-51) and Max Sorensen (2-36) blew the middle order away but Ashgar Stanikzhai remained unbeaten on 51 as the clock beat Ireland’s push for victory.

Nick Royle (Setanta), Ian Callender (Irish Daily Mail), Irish Independent, Ger Siggins (Irish Daily Star)