T20IWC : Canada shock Ireland in another sensational result , Scotland outplay Namibia

 

Canada has caused the latest sensation in the T20I world cup beating test playing nation  Ireland by 12 runs in a gripping contest  .  The Irish, who were ahead in experience, had to pay the penalty for the batting disaster in the T20 World Cup against the newcomers Canada.  Batting first, Canada made 137 runs for 7 wickets.  In reply Ireland made 125 for 7 wickets.  Canada won by 12 runs.

 Canada's batters could not take advantage of New York's 22 yards.  Nicholas Kirton, who came down at number five, scored 49 runs from 35 balls, and Shreyas Muva, who came down at number six, played an innings of 37 runs from 36 balls, without them Canada would not have scored enough runs to fight for.  Two openers Aaron Johnson (14 off 13) and Navneet Dhaliwal (6 off 10) returned quickly.  The next two batters did not get a run either.  Pargat Singh dropped to number three and made 18 off 14 balls.  Dilpreet Bajwa dropped to number four and contributed 7 from 9 balls.  If Kirton and Shreyas had not scored 75 runs in the fifth wicket partnership, the situation would have been worse for Canada.  Kirton hit 3 fours and 2 sixes.  3 fours come from the bat of Shreyas.

 Ireland's most successful bowler Barry McCarthy took 2 wickets for 24 runs.  2 wickets for 32 runs for Craig Young.  Gareth Delaney took 1 wicket for 10 runs.  Mark Adair took 1 wicket for 23 runs.

Batting to chase 138 for victory, Ireland's innings fell apart .  They lost 6 wickets for 59 runs.  As the first row batters got out one after another, the Irish were put under a lot of pressure.  Andy Balbirnie (17 off 19), captain Paul Stirling 9 off 17), Lorcan Tucker (10 off 15), Harry Tector (7 off 5), Curtis Campher (4 off 7) could not give confidence to the team's innings.  Delaney failed.  George Dockrell at number six and Adair at number eight put up a bit of a fight at the end.  Despite aggressive batting in the seventh wicket pair, they could not bring victory to the team.  Adair scored 34 runs off 24 balls.  3 fours and a six came from his bat.  Dockrell remained unbeaten with an innings of 30 runs off 23 balls.  Hit 2 fours and 1 six.  McCarthy (2 for 3) was with him at 22 yards at the end.

 Canada's most successful bowler Jeremy Gordon took 2 wickets for 16 runs.  Dillon Helliger took 2 wickets for 18 runs.  1 wicket for 22 runs for Saad bin Zafar.  Junaid Siddiqui's 1 wicket with 27 runs.  Canada fielded superbly in the match and looked the much better team for most part of the game . 

Earlier Scotland outplayed Namibia in the previous night game after overcoming a few anxious moments . Richie Berrington and Michael Leask led Scotland to a vital victory over Namibia in Barbados, strengthening their prospects of advancing in the T20 World Cup. After showcasing strong batting in their rain-affected opener against England, Scotland chased down a target of 156 with five wickets remaining and nine balls to spare.

The situation appeared challenging when Matthew Cross was dismissed lbw at 73 for four. However, captain Berrington and Leask seized control, adding 74 runs in the next 42 balls. Leask hit four sixes in his quick 35, while Berrington remained unbeaten on 47, finishing the match with a six off David Wiese.

Earlier, Brad Wheal gave Scotland an excellent start, swinging the new ball effectively and dismissing JP Kotze with his third delivery. Brandon Currie also struck early, and despite Chris Sole conceding boundaries with three of his first four balls, he managed to take a wicket as Namibia reached 48 for three during a lively powerplay.

Chris Greaves dismissed Malan Kruger in the eighth over, but Namibia's captain Gerhard Erasmus anchored the innings, regularly finding boundaries off the spinners. Erasmus reached his half-century in just 30 balls, hitting Leask for six over wide long-on. However, Leask had his revenge shortly after, with Cross completing the stumping.

Namibia added 42 runs and lost four wickets in the final five overs, with Currie and Wheal bowling tightly at the death, limiting Namibia to a modest total of 155.