Entries come thick and fast in Irish cricket at the moment due to the compact nature of the CWC 2011 qualifying tournament. Ireland are now the only undefeated side in South Africa after another comfortable victory against Canada. The Maple Leaf’s were going nicely at 174-4 before some injudicious running and good work in the field from Ireland sparked a collapse and Canada subsided to 220 all out. Ireland’s top order struggled to 42-4 before an unbeaten partnership of 181 between Eoin Morgan and Keith O’Brien gave the tournament favourites a convincing 6 wicket victory.
Middlesex’s Morgan celebrated his call-up to England’s provisional 30 man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup (ahead of the England Test captain no less) with an assured 84 not out. While he may not make the final 15 (and Ireland’s chances will be all the better for that) it is recognition for the Dubliner after a successful county season in 2008 where he scored 915 runs averaging a smidge under 44 in the championship and helped them win the Twenty20 Cup. Ireland complete their group games on Wednesday against Namibia – the Namibian’s must win to have a realistic chance of staying in the tournament.
Match Summary Canada 220 (48 ov) Barnett 49; Rankin 2-36, Johnston 2-37 Ireland 223-4 (41 ov) K O’Brien 89*, Morgan 84*
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