Ireland v Australia only ODI: 5 Talking Points

Ireland v Australia only ODI: 5 Talking Points: After a gap of about four months since they were crowned the World Champions, Australia were playing their first One day international. Ireland always had a better chance of competing if the game got shortened. And that is precisely what happened. Frequent rain breaks meant Ireland were given a final target of 180 runs in 24 overs. Australia were 222/6 in 40.2 overs before the raingods opened up to culminate their innings. But the Irish could not cope up with the scoreboard pressure and were eventually bowled out for 157 to loose by 23 runs. There were many moments which stood out in the game.

Here we have listed Ireland v Australia only ODI: 5 Talking Points:

1. The Warner – Burns Show:

Australian captain Steven Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. The match was reduced to 47 overs per side. Joe Burns making his ODI debut looked completely at ease and played some fluent shots. Warner was naturally the aggressor and played a fabulous knock of 84, filled with strokes all round the wicket. Burns meanwhile played cautiously to begin but picked up momentum and scored a sublime 69.

2. Quick wickets for Ireland:

After the 139 run opening partnership the Australian innings somewhat collapsed. Burns and Warner both fell while trying to execute the pull to perfection. Andy McBrine struck soon to send Glenn Maxwell back on 2. Young and Murtagh bowled with great discipline during the middle overs. After a short rain delay Smith also departed being caught at leg slip. The umpires decided that Australian innings was done at 222-6 after the showers got heavier.

3. Poor start from the Irish:

The match resumed after a lengthy rain delay. Ireland’s target was calculated as 195 in 27 overs by the D/L method. Australia got off to a terrific start after Starc dismissed Porterfield in the first over itself. He was bowled by a splendid inswinging yorker. In the next over, Stirling fell to Coulter-Nile. He flashed at a short of length delivery but got a thick edge to the keeper. The rain arrived and stopped play for a while thus revising Ireland’s target to 181 in 24 overs.

4. The rebuilding phase:

As soon as the match resumed, Ed Joyce and Niall O’Brien upped the ante and accelerated the pace of their scoring. They soon brought up the fifty-plus stand for the third wicket. Both were keen on laying a strong platform for the rest of the batsmen to follow. None of the Aussie bowlers troubled the duo as they milked the bowling nicely.

5. Regular wickets hurting Ireland’s cause:

Maxwell first removed Joyce and broke the fifty-plus stand and then got Niall O’Brien caught at long on in the next over. Though Thompson tried his best with a few lusty blows but in the end the target proved way too much. Nathan Coulter-Nile finished with three wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins bagged two apiece. Ireland fought hard but Australia were a bit too strong for them.