A Man of the Match performance from Gary Wilson helped Ireland to a comprehensive 48 run win against Uganda to take his team to the brink of automatic qualification for the ICC World Twenty20 finals in Bangladesh next March. The win means Ireland top Group A with 11 points from 6 games *, and victory in their final match against tournament surprise package Hong Kong on Sunday, would see the team gain one of the two automatic slots reserved for the competition Group winners.

Wilson scored a brisk 40 from just 27 balls (3 fours, 1 six), providing the Irish innings with late impetus after they had been restricted very well by the quartet of Ugandan spinners. Niall O'Brien scored 35 not out in a 4th wicket stand of 61 with Wilson, the pair coming together following the dismissal of Kevin O'Brien, caught on the long-on boundary for 14.

Skipper William Porterfield had continued his scintillating form, racing to 33 from just 17 balls (6 fours, 1 six), before being caught sweeping at square leg. He had lost fellow opener Paul Stirling (16) to an athletic diving catch by Otim, running back at long on, after an opening stand of 35 in 28 balls.

A final total of 147 for 4 was always one which the Irish felt was defendable, and so it proved. Tim Murtagh bowled a miserly opening spell, conceding just 7 runs in 3 overs, while Trent Johnston (1-28) removed opener Zariba with his third delivery, to visibly lift the Irish camp.

The introduction of the 'spin twins' George Dockrell and Paul Stirling saw the Ugandan reply stutter, and bowling in tandem the two strangled the life out of the Uganda run chase. Dockrell (2-12) removed the dangerous Arthur Kyobe (18) with his second ball, well caught by Trent Johnston running back from square leg, and after that it was all about respectability for the African side. Kyobe, who had struck five sixes against Italy earlier in the week, was clearly rattled after being struck on the chin by Tim Murtagh, an injury which later required stitches.

Stirling (2-23) was also among the wickets, and with Max Sorensen (1-13) bowling with plenty of hostility, the Irish bowling unit never relinquished their stranglehold on the contest. Saleh top scored with 21, while Mukobe (20) and skipper Nsubuga (19) all made contributions as they limped to 99 for 7 in their 20 overs.

* Match 5 in their Group matches v Italy was abandoned without a ball being bowled

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