Ireland got their 2005 ICC Trophy underway with a 97 run win over Bermuda at Stormont. Ed Joyce had a dream comeback for Ireland scoring a chanceless hundred, and shared in a match winning partnership of 170 with his Middlesex team mate Eoin Morgan. Ireland won the toss and batted first, but the skipper was run out after being sent back by Bray. Andre Botha and jermey Bray were both dismissed by Borden for 26 and 24, and Ireland were wobbling slightly at 62 for 3. However in the next 27 overs, Joyce and Morgan completely took the game away from Bermuda.

They took no risks early on, content to accumulate their runs, but were still able to dispatch the loose ball with clinical efficiency. In total they hit 22 boundaries in all, timing the acceleration perfectly. Morgan, if anything, outshone his more illustrious partner, but alas, fell 7 short of a deserved maiden hundred. He faced 86 balls and hit 9 fours and a six. Joyce did reach the landmark, scoring 103 off 91 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six, before being caught on the cover boundary.

Some lusty blows late on from Trent Johnston, 18, and Peter Gillespie (23), enabled Ireland to score 315 for 8, their highest ever score in the competition.

Bermuda never challenged that total, happy to settle for achieving the best run rate possible for themselves. Janeiro Tucker, their in form hard hitting batsman, top scored with 53 off 59 balls, while Oliver Pitcher made a more measured 40. Worryingly, their inspirational captain Clay Smith suffered a hamstring injury, and may well miss the rest of the tournament.

"I told Eoin (Morgan) before the match that he was inches away from a big innings. He's looked good at the nets, and at the crease, and I knew it was only a matter of time before he delivered. He showed his ability in the way he batted with Ed (Joyce). It was sensational."

"We still have work to do. The first 10 overs of our batting was not where we want to be, and the same for the first 10 overs of our bowling, but winning by nearly 100 runs without playing at the top of our game must be a positive."

"Ireland look a very solid team, in both batting and bowling. They definitely put in a professional job today."

"It was nice to be back. I am more relieved than anything, just happy to score some runs. I was quite nervous before I went in to bat. It was a magnificent knock from Eoin. I actually haven't seen him bat like that before.