BRISBANE: Australia yesterday thrashed the Irish by 42 runs to claim number two spot in ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup’s group stage’s Group 2. Batting first, the Ausies managed to post a solid 179-5 from their 20 overs.

Captain Finch remained top scorer with 63 (44) while Marcus Stoinis was the second highest run getter in the match with 35 (25). Ireland’s Joshua Little was exceptionally good as he only gave away 21 and took 2 vital wickets from his 4 overs quota. In reply, the Irish could manage to post only 137 and were bowled out in 18.1 overs.

Lorcan Tucker was massively impressive with his blistering 71 (48), but all in vain. “It was a good performance. Getting 180 was a decent score on that wicket. We knew we had to lay the foundation early and couldn't risk being 4-5 down,” said Aussie captain Aaron Finch. “Just a little bit of hammy tightness, he (Tim David) sat out as a precaution. It is nice when it works like that (not opening with Starc), doesn't always work but there's a lot of time and planning that goes into it, sometimes you look great and sometimes you look stupid, you take the good with the bad in this format. It would have been nice, having them 5 for 25 to really push that forward, Tucker played a helluva knock there,” he added.

“It was hardly fought. The first innings got away, we bowled well but a couple of overs didn't go our way and certainly didn't get the start with the bat, but to show the fight at the end was nice,” said the losing Irish skipper Andy Balbarnie.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 01 2022

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.