Dublin, Aug 18 (UNI) Some clean hitting from Barry McCarthy who cracked his career best score of 51 not out helped Ireland to post a face-saving 139/7 in the first T20I match against India at the Village here on Friday.
McCarthy’s innings was strung with four boundaries and as many sixes off 33 balls.
At one stage the hosts were 59/6, but McCarthy (39 0ff 31 3x4s 1×6) rebuilt the innings along with Curtis Campher and stitched a very crucial 57 runs partnership for 7th wicket.
The duo could lineup the Indian pacers as batting became easier after the ball stopped moving around. Jasprit Bumrah who returned to cricket after a prolonged injury claimed two wickets in the first over.
Bumrah’s first wicket of Andrew Balbirnie on his return was a cracker, making a loud statement on his very second delivery that he was never out of action. A length ball outside off swung back ferociously which took the inside edge and knocked down the off pole.
Bumrah scalped his second wicket on his fifth ball after Lorcan Tucker impatiently shimmed inwards to ramp it over Sanju Samson behind the stumps, but got a feeble connection that lobbed right into the keeper’s gloves.
A returning Prasidh Krishna also picked up a couple of wickets, as Ireland played some rather flimsy shots.
Ravi Bishnoi’s googlies were too hot to handle and he accounted for the Irish skipper Paul Stirling (11) and Mark Adair (16 off 16).
