Josh Hall was denied an NCU cup winners medal with Waringstown yesterday but he enjoyed a wonderful consolation when he took the last Afghanistan wicket, from the final ball of the match, to give Ireland Under 19s their second successive last gasp victory.

On Thursday, Hall was the Ireland hero with the bat, hitting the winning boundary to beat the USA, and yesterday he was given the last over with the Afghans needing 11 to win with two wickets left.
Najibullah Zadran had just breathed late life into the game by hitting Barry McCarthy for a six and four in the 49th over but that was enough to convince him he had to finish the job himself.

Three times from the first three balls of the last over, he turned down singles, the second fatally running out his partner but when he hit the fourth and fifth balls for a two and four, it left him requiring another four to tie the scores or six to win the match. He went for a swing and Hall hit the stumps.

Ireland's top order batting remains a cause of concern after they slumped, for the second successive day, to 86 for six at the halfway stage.

The innings got off to the worst possible start with Hugh MacDonnell bowled by the first ball of the match and when Jason van der Merwe, Adam Berry and Ryan Hunter were dismissed in the space of 15 balls, Ireland were 43 for three in the 12th over.

Indeed it was Thursday's opening match revisited in more ways than one as George Dockrell, to his horror, was dismissed in identical fashion again yesterday, caught at extra cover for 15 and Graeme McCarter's attempts at consolidation ended in an 18-ball duck.

But, at least this Ireland team bats deep and and man of the match Andy McBrine, another player missing a domestic cup final, was fully focused however and while Donemana struggled back home he top scored with 50 from No 6, and followed up with the vital wicket of Afghanistan's top scorer.

He received good support from Adam Coughlan and McCarthy and at halfway Ireland were satisfied to be bowled out off the last ball for 212. Crucially, 50 came off the last five powerplay overs and No 11 Niall Hodgins can claim his four won the match for Ireland


Scores: Ireland Under 19s 212 (A McBrine 50, B McCarthy 47, A Coughlan 28; M Ahmadzai 3-41) Afghanistan U19s 208 (H Shaidi 46, R Sahaq 46, N Ahmadzai 42; A Coughlan 2-27, G Dockrell 2-32, G McCarter 2-53). Ireland won by four runs.

Tomorrow: Ireland v Scotland (The Hills, 10.45am)