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Ireland International Matches
Namibia lost to Ireland by 8 runs
Intercontinental Cup, Windhoek, 3 October 2008
Scorecard
Ian Callender

Day 1

Ireland's Intercontinental Cup crown is hanging by a thread after 81 overs of mayhem when 25 wickets fell. At the end of the first of the scheduled four-day game Ireland are, in effect, 27-5 in their second innings and know that unless they can pull off an unlikely victory against their confident Namibian hosts, the final group game next week end against Kenya in Nairobi will be meaningless.

The result is by no means a foregone conclusion! How could it be with the bowlers so dominant. Andrew White, the first innings top scorer - although that's not saying much, with 19 out of a total of 69 - and Trent Johnston are still in the middle and Kyle McCallan and Regan West have still to come.

At one stage on this most remarkable day of cricket, Ireland even threatened to get the first innings lead which would have ensured their cup hopes were still alive. Namibia were 37-7 in reply as one stage and Andrew White dropped a straightforward catch which would still have left the last two wickets to scramble another two runs. However, reprieved, the Namibian tail end enjoyed themselves - none more so than last man Kola Burger who scored 16 from four balls and was out to the fifth with the lead an ominous 50.

When Niall O'Brien played arguably the worst shot of the day - and he had quite a few rivals - pulling his third ball of the second innings straight to mid-wicket, it looked as if we could be heading for a result in one day. Alex Cusack, too high at number three, was held half an hour later for an unconvincing four. However, then Ireland enjoyed their best period of the day. William Porterfield and Andre Botha, at the 13th time of asking, managed to take a partnership past 20 - and when Botha called for a quick single he didn't make, 57-2 and became 66-5 as Kevin O'Brien and the captain followed in quick succession.

Again, with a possible 50 minutes left in the day - Namibia could have claimed the extra half-hour - a one day finish was a distinct possibility, but Johnston not only saw the day to its conclusion but hit two perfectly-timed boundaries to give hope that all is not lost today.

So why did so many wickets fall? It certainly wasn't the pitch. Porterfield lost the toss but he was going to bat first anyway. Yes, the bowlers bowled well and early breakthroughs do, invariably, cause panic. The ball was moving around but there were too many "one-day" type shots when instead patience was required, bringing back memories of the batting at Clontarf against Scotland in 2004, Ireland's last defeat in the Intercontinental Cup. Their 12-match unbeaten run in this competition has never been so threatened. There was a symmetry about the three scores at the end of each session. At lunch, Ireland were 64-8, with only White, who hit the solitary six of the day, keeping his head above the parapet, but Ireland's response was heroic and Namibia took tea at the precarious 69-8. Both first innings lasted 28.3 overs. Ireland were also grateful for 10 no-balls, the third highest score in their first innings. However, Boyd Rankin, trying too hard at times, tried to repay the Namibians with five "four-day" wides in his spell. Meanwhile, Peter Connell, with four wickets, is still on course for a second 10-wicket haul in the competition, although the last time Ireland played here - to win in the Intercontinental final in 2005 - the spinners took a total of seven wickets in the second innings.

Ireland must hope that history can repeat itself today, but first the last five batsmen must get enough runs to give them a chance.

Day 2

This Ireland team never know when they're beaten. With their 12-match unbeaten record in the Intercontinental Cup on the line, they dismissed Namibia, set just 115 to win, for 106, Boyd Rankin finishing with his best figures for Ireland, 5-39. Ireland now has the task of taking maximum points from Kenya in Nairobi next weekend to qualify for their third successive final, and the holders are still favourites to retain their crown in Potchefstroom at the end of the month.

Bowled out for 69 shortly after lunch on Friday - the lowest total in the four-year, 70-match history of the competition - Ireland had no right to escape with a victory. Not only did they do that, they nearly achieved maximum points, reducing the Namibians to 37-7 in their first innings. The last three wickets gave the hosts what should have been a vital 50-run the and it looked down and out for William Porterfield's side when they closed a remarkable first day on 77-5.

Ireland were all out for 164 with no one able to better Andre Botha's 29, incredibly the highest individual innings. Namibia were left with one over to face before lunch, and not even that was without drama as Deon Kotze hit Peter Connell through the steps at catchable height. Connell, bowling with Warwickshire's Rankin for the first time in a two-innings game, needed early wickets. The pair did not fail. Rankin made the breakthrough in his third over, having AJ Burger caught at first slip off a rising delivery, and by the end of the next over Connell had bowled Soral Burger and strangled Kotze down the leg side for Niall O'Brien to take a tumbling catch. When Rankin made it 31-4, Ireland were on top - but even then it would not be straightforward.

Gerrie Snyman survived being dropped at cover point to thump 28 off a dozen balls, including successive sixes off Rankin, and it looked as if Alex Cusack had dropped the Intercontinental Cup. But Snyman refused to rein himself in, despite Namibia having 261 overs to get the runs. Ireland did not mind and when Snyman pulled yet again, Porterfield, leading by example, took the catch at cover.

Namibia lost three wickets for eight runs and left the last pair of Louis Klasinga and Kola Burger to add 16 for the last wicket - the number of runs the number 11 scored in his first innings four balls - to win the match. They had added another seven when Burger cut Rankin to third man and Kyle McCallan, on his 201st appearance for Ireland, made no mistake. The tour was still alive.