PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Ireland produced a strong all-round display to overpower Trinidad and Tobago by nine wickets, in their warm-up game on Friday night in preparation for the World Twenty Championship starting this week.
Asked to field first at the Queen’s Park Oval, Ireland bundled out the hosts for 104 off 19.5 overs before racing to 105 for one from 15.1 overs, to claim a timely win ahead of their preliminary round campaign in Guyana.
T&T, who won the first game on Tuesday night, struggled from the outset. They lost wickets steadily as teenaged left-arm spinner George Dockrell and fast bowler Peter Connell undermined the innings.
The 17-year-old Dockrell claimed three for 20 while Connell had two for 19, with only Samuel Badree with 20 showing any real resistance.
In Ireland’s run chase, Paul Stirling lashed an entertaining 57 and captain William Porterfield added an unbeaten 36 as they posted an even 100 for the first wicket in aggressive fashion.
The 19-year-old Stirling faced just 41 balls and struck six fours and two sixes while Porterfield stroked two boundaries off 44 balls.
Ireland will now travel to Guyana to face New Zealand and Afghanistan in two more warm-up matches on April 27 and 28 respectively, before launching their campaign in the WT20 against West Indies next Friday.