New year, new thread.
February/March 2024 - Ireland Tour of Afghanistan (UAE)
Matches : 1 Test, 3 ODI's and 3 T20's
June 2024 - 2024 T20 World Cup
Matches: Group Stage - India, Canada, USA & Pakistan (Top 2 to qualify)
Balbirnie out 2
Moor fortunate, claen bowled but saved by a front foot no ball
Now he is out. Ireland 32/2
Campher doing his bit, be good to see him picking up more singles and twos as well. Hitting a good few 4s which is grand but it's not T20 or Bazball. We need to build good partnerships and get a decent score 300+
A good few ones and twos after this post, but now a lovely big six!
That wicket was coming, Afg had been building some pressure. Campher out 49
92/3 Ireland
Ireland 100/4 at stumps. 4th wicket was night watchman van woekrum
Good day for Ireland but Afghanistan are still in the box seat batting last imo. Wouldn't be surpised to wake up in the morning and see Ireland all out with just a modest lead. Still, a fine effort today.
Ireland are batting last, just sayin....
Like playing with 9 players with Peter Moor and Theo van Woerkom in the team. Did ok but likely to collapse and then bowl rubbish. Have a chance though. Maybe these 2 and Tucker can get a few
First session now beyond crucial.. great that we have Tector and Stirling at the crease.
Barring a disastrous collapse a first innings lead of about 120 minimum should be the expectation… which should be enough to win the test.
Sorry, yes, meant 'with Ireland batting last'.
Tector out early on day 2
Moor the only Irish player to play red ball cricket since the last test match though
Ireland 134/5 at the first drinks break
50 for Stirling
Edit and out for 52. Ireland 186/6 at lunch
Tucker out 46. Ireland 216/7
Nice to see a few partnerships built, building up the total. Be great if our tail can wag and add another 50. But Adair just gone, why did he bother reviewing that??
Can't see us having quite the same easy time against them when they bat again and we'll likely be chasing some score in the final innings.
Adair out 15. Ireland 242/8
The lead is now 100
McBrine the last wicket to fall, a useful 38. Lead is 108
I dunno about this, if Afg get say 300 - we'll likely struggle to get c200 to win. Don't seem to be doing great against the spinners.
Great catch by Moor to get rid of the h* :)
Afghans going along at a nice clip
2 down now!
Very little intent from us now - Balbirnie persisting with a spinner that's doing nothing but leaking runs.
I know he got runs in Zimbabwe. If you look at the cards, he scored at more than a run a ball. But Zimbabwean first class cricket doesn't look too strong. I was watching some of Zimbabwe A vs Durham and they were getting hammered, even the top order batted like tailenders. They were 45/7 yesterday and only made 116 & 133. Lost by 136. Moor has never looked good for Ireland
We've let Afghanistan right back into this. Really should have batted them out of the game, batters got in but didn't make a telling score. Now the spinners are looking very ineffective. We'd struggle to chase more than 140/150 I think!
Balbirnie getting a bit desperate now with flaky review. Needs to come up with something better than this, these lads are far toooo comfortable.
Important wicket near the end of the day. Afghanistan 104/3
