Ever Young Johnston Once Again Shines as Ireland Advance to Yet Another Final

Once again Ireland's long serving talisman Trent Johnston came to the rescue today, helping to dig his team out of an early hole to post what proved to be a more than adequate 147 against a UAE Team which was buzzing when Ireland were 42 for 4.

But the old reliable Bakers Johnston, Mooney & O'Brien brought the bread home once more to guide Ireland to that decent total.

Johnston also a long serving member of the Bowlers Union was full of praise for Ireland's mostly seam attack today, which surprised many commentators, but worked a treat. Man of the Match Max Sorenson and Tim Murtagh both taking 4 wickets each in dismissing the UAE for 85.

Barry Chambers: Trent congratulations, you pulled the team out of a bit of a hole there, yourself and John Mooney and Kevin O'Brien?

Trent Johnston: Yeah, glad you mentioned them too - It wasn't just me. We probably didn't get off to the start that we wanted to. We've been quite lucky with the way that `Porty' (William Porterfield) and `Stirlo' (Paul Stirling) have batted up front, and that didn't come off for us today.

So we knew that if we could get 150 we were looking at probably that we could defend that.  Kevin has been playing well throughout the whole series, and John coming in and striking the ball, and I was a bit lucky with a few of those, so it's good to post a good total, and pull the boys out of the fire.

Barry Chambers: Similar to yesterday, Majid Haq was Scotland's best bowler, Nazir Aziz has been the UAE's go to bowler, and you really took him on. I think that was the big over, I don't know what it went for, about 18 or 19?

Trent Johnston: I said to `Mooners' (John Mooney) I think one of us has to go here. I think it was 5 overs left, and we needed to probably get, I don't know, probably 8, 9, 10 an over from there to get to the 150. So I just said, listen I think I'm going to go here now. He was sort of putting the ball back of a length, so if I went down to him and played straight, there was a big chance it's not really a big hit, hitting back towards the grandstand. So a couple came off, and we were lucky. So that was a big over, and we got that momentum going from there on. So from 15, I think it was, I would say it was our game.

Barry Chambers: And obviously you've played against them before, you'd studied footage of the bowlers, you know what areas they bowl in, and where you can hit them?

Trent Johnston: Yes we did, but they bowled well up front. I think the left arm quick took the pace off the ball and got `Porty' and `Stirlo' probably from the same thing, pace off. So we probably don't really have that in our armoury, other probably than `Murts' (Tim Murtagh) who takes the pace off. So we just knew that looking at their bowling, that if we could post 150 that with our bowling attack, and you saw today, `Stirlo' bowled 2 overs, `Dockers' (George Dockrell) didn't even bowl. So it was quite surprising that in itself. So it was just a great all round team performance.

Barry Chambers: And maybe a word about Tim Murtagh and Max Sorenson, 8 wickets between them, you bowled well yourself, but those guys got the wickets today?

Trent Johnston: Yes, it was great. They might take a bit of pressure off us bowlers in the team meeting tomorrow, so I don't know what `Simmo' (Phil Simmons) is going to say when we sit down and analyse the game. So, we've been under pressure, we haven't taken wickets up front, throughout the whole tournament. So that's probably been our biggest Achilles Heel.

But today Max really went out there and did a great job for us. Murts didn't come off in his first over, but he came back and bowled a great spell and got 4 wickets. So I think that we're hitting our struts, you know, the boys will fire tomorrow with the bat up tops, and if we can continue with the ball, like we did today, you know it's going to be a hell of a game tomorrow night.

Barry Chambers: And it's our old rivals Afghanistan. Some great tussles with them over the years. You'll be looking forward to that?

Trent Johnston: Absolutely, I just said to the boys that I'd love to just come into this situation now, you know, give us a rest up until now, but it's another final, it's another chance for us to get silverware. And that's what you want to play in. That's why you train all those hours for, and put all the hard yards in.

And to finish in two games, in two finals, it's going to be pretty special. But we certainly don't want to be on the losing end of those games. So we've still got a lot of work to do. We'll go home, rest tonight, and think about Afghanistan tomorrow.

Barry Chambers: And definitely retiring after the I-Cup?

Trent Johnston: Yes.

Barry Chambers: Are you not tempted to reconsider with your form in this tournament? The nail is going to be in the boots firmly?

Trent Johnston: They're going to be in the boots, I don't know whether you've done your homework Barry, but I think I've got about two wickets all tournament. So maybe if `Simmo' wants to keep me on as a lower order just batter, maybe I might.

But no the decision is well and truly made. And I'm comfortable with that. And I know that I've got two games left, and I think the biggest thing is that I'm counting down those training sessions. I think I've got three training sessions left. But no, I'm just going to enjoy the next sort of two to three weeks. So hopefully we can kick it off with a win here tomorrow.