Ireland vs Afghanistan Intercontinental Cup FINAL Dec 10-14th 2013

axe2grind

A journey that started more than 2 years ago comes to a conclusion in Dubai next week.
Yet again Ireland vs Afghanistan, but we 've gone from T20 format of a few days ago to a 2 innings a side 5 day match.

This is Trent's final match and here's hoping he in particular can bring his form he showed in the T20 final.

Ireland and Afghanistan dominated the group stage both with 5 wins and 2 draws. One of the draws was the previous head to head in this format in July last year. Afghanistan were lucky to escape without a loss due to 2 days lost with rain.

The other draw for Ireland was against UAE when they didn't enforce the follow, when they were saving them selves for couple of one day matches (WCL) from which they qualified for 2015 world cup.

Afghanistan are holders of the title, but Ireland will go in as favourites, and while I have huge respect for the Afghan team, I expect Trent to finish up with more silverware.

A draw will be enough due to Ireland finishing top of the points table, but with it being a 5 day match, I expect a result.

The match will be streamed live on ICC YouTube channel.

D3PO

its a 4 day match not 5 day.

axe2grind

D3PO wrote: »

its a 4 day match not 5 day.

Of course I'm happy to stand corrected, but anything I've read mentions 5 days

see preview on Cricket Ireland

djimi

Its a five day match apparently.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-intercontinental-cup-2011-13/content/story/697379.html

The five-day match, to be played at the ICC Academy in Dubai from December 10-14

(I had thought that the last day might have been a reserve day)

kryogen

Not long to go now, hoping Trent can give one last big performance

HonalD

The final is a 5 day match. All other games are 4 days (don't know why) and as kryogen says it is the last appearance for TJ.

Barney92

Not a great start, 112-6. Anderson is the only one who has gotten past 20 so far.

djimi

Well that was a disaster... All out for 187 in just 61 overs. Only Anderson (55) and Mooney (33) showing any kind of resistence. Got to bowl like demons now; something tells me the extra day is not going to be a factor in this game now!

Barney92

Have them 81/3 at the close of play. A solid recovery with the ball, but it needs to continue tomorrow.

kryogen

Good finish to a horrible day.

More of the same in terms of the bowling needed tomorrow to keep this within reach, maybe even take a first innings lead? One can dream.

It certainly wont be going 5 days now anyway

djimi

Couple of quick wickets tomorrow and we will be right into them.

Any word on what has been going on? Is it a poor pitch or just some poor batting?

axe2grind

Ireland keeping themselves in touch, Mooney getting 5.
Nabi and Ashraf going well at moment and they need to break this partnership.

if they can keep the deficit below 100 (ideally under 50) they'll fancy setting Afghanistan 250 to chase. Someone needs to bed in and score a big one.

axe2grind

2 wickets since, Johnston bowling a good spell getting ashraf and Dockrell getting the other.
2 wickets to get, scores almost level.

deficit of 50 would be bad from here!

axe2grind

Should have been 9, dropped catch in slips, Johnston bowling a great spell!

axe2grind

Nabi gone!!
Johnston getting deserved wicket and Afghanistan still behind!!

A2LUE42

This could be a great result.

Are there issues with the pitch?

BarryD

Doesn't look like they'll need five days anyway! Reads more like a 50 over match.

djimi

Did very well to get out of that with a lead. Surely there must be some gremlins in that pitch? We are both better than those first innings scores.

Unless two solid weeks of T20 and then switching to a five day format is proving difficult!

BarryD

Scoring at 5 an over and one down already - maybe someone should 'remind' them they've got 3½ days left!!!

axe2grind

No issues with pitch, good bowling, tense match and certainly some poor shot selection. So some T20 hangover.

Stirling lives by sword and dies by sword and gets a nick through to keeper down leg side.

djimi

To be honest this isnt the greatest advertisment for either of these sides looking to get into test cricket... We have effectively been handed a test match (in all but name) against each other, and we seem intent to end it inside three days by playing ODI cricket.

axe2grind

Porterfield taking on Stirling role and being very aggressive. Hooked a 6 and slapped a wide one to boundary as well. Showing how good the pitch is.

axe2grind

Spinner on and served full toss first ball which Joyce hits for 4

djimi

We dont need aggression; we need to knuckle down and show that we can bat for 5-6 sessions at least.

djimi

Porterfield gone playing a sweep shot; scored 33 from 30 balls. Not good enough really; this isnt T20 and the game isnt going to end this evening.

BarryD

Maybe they'll calm down after the tea break!! Joyce has plenty of experience?

axe2grind

Joyce riding his luck!
Chasing wide balls and missing, but still there and scoring some good boundaries as well, hopefully make use of his luck and make a big one.

Porterfield was a little unlucky picking out the single fielder. It was a bad ball that needed to be put away, just didn't keep it down. But he has shown the rest that the pitch is good and a big score can be got if you play it right.

axe2grind

110/2
Joyce getting 50, 11 boundaries and another since.

He's playing some great shots, hopefully will ignore chasing the wide ones

axe2grind

100 run partnership.
Great in the context of the match.

153/2 nearing close of play 2nd day
lead of 158

BarryD

That's a decent partnership - nice to see things steadying down. Hopefully they can see out the day..

KevIRL

If it finishes in a draw then who wins the trophy and title? Is it shared or is there some funky points system to decide who wins, might explain Ireland going for it even with so long to play.

I remember once Ireland declared when behind in an ICC match as it suited their points requirement to chase down a big second innings lead and it worked out too