GARY Wilson's first 20-20 fifty for Ireland ensured they go into the Top Six phase of the ICC World Qualifier on a six game winning streak. They completed their group programme with a comfortable 44 run win over Oman in the Sheikh Zayeed Stadium.

"It was nice to get a fifty", Wilson told the Irish Daily Star.

"I've been a bit disappointed the last couple of games to get out with a couple of overs to go."

Yesterday's results mean Ireland qualify as second in their group, and meet Canada on Thursday morning.

"We know Canada quite well, they're a decent side and hopefully we can get a win there and go on and see where that takes us," said Wilson.

In a complicated system, group toppers Afghanistan play Namibia on Thursday with the first finals place at stake. The winners of Scotland v Netherlands and Ireland v Canada play, with the winners of that playing the losers of the Afghan-Namib clash for the second spot.

All that means that Ireland must extend their six game run to nine -- or forget about autumn in Sri Lanka.

Ireland produced a surprise at the toss yesterday. Phil Simmons had been expected to rest Trent Johnston, but with just two fit options, he went for a man just off the plane.

Andrew Poynter, called up to replace John Mooney, arrived in Abu Dhabi in the early hours after flying first from London to Cork and driving to Dublin to pick up his gear.

He then got a 90 minute taxi to Dubai in time for his 7am coach trip back to Abu Dhabi.

Porterfield, captaining his country for the 100th time in less than four years, had just hit Ranpura for six when he got a nick on a rising ball wide of his leg stump and edged to keeper Sultan Ahmed. Joyce hit one gorgeous drive through backward point before he mistimed a flick to leg and skied the ball back to the bowler. Stirling was motoring on ominously, but disappointed his admirers by lifting the ball straight to long on for 35.

Wilson has been remarkably consistent here, never making less than 19 but until yesterday never reaching fifty. He hits clean and straight, and three heavy blows off the slow left armers went sailing over the rope.

He played support when Kevin O'Brien was at the crease, and the Dubliner enjoyed his brief stay.

O'Brien scored a century in Ireland's only previous game against Oman, and feasted on Farhan Afzal Khan's third over, hitting him for four consecutive fours.

But he tried to hit Zeeshan Siddiqi's first ball against the spin and was held at long on.

Poynter rubbed his red eyes and clipped his first ball for six months for a single, but his timing was off when he chipped Siddiqi to cover for 5. Andrew White stayed with man of the match Wilson to the end, and the wicketkeeper brought up his fifty with a four off the last ball of the innings. He had faced 38 balls.

Oman struggled with the pace of Boyd Rankin but Max Sorensen started with a brace of wides. He found his line in a blistering second over, a wicket maiden, to demolish Vaibhar Wategaonkar's stumps.

Kevin O'Brien showed his happy knack of taking wickets, removing the middle order thanks to stunning catches on the ring by Andrew White and Nigel Jones.

With Oman 82-6 off 15, William Porterfield brought on his spinners to tie up the game.