19/05Result
1st ODI, Afghanistan tour of Ireland at Belfast, May 19 2019
Ireland won by 72 runs
19/05Result
1st ODI, Afghanistan tour of Ireland at Belfast, May 19 2019
Ireland won by 72 runs

5.40pm: So that unravelled quickly for Afghanistan, but it was a deserving win by Ireland. This was the best bowling performance they have put up in quite a while, and they'll have a bounce in their step when the two teams meet for their next match, on Tuesday, May 21. Join us live for that one, but until then, it's goodbye from us.

Gulbandin Naib: The boys did really well in the field, but credit goes to Ireland, they bowled really well. Stirling and Porterfield batted really well, they put on a 100 partnership (99) and that's why they got a good score.

William Porterfield: Very much so (happy). We played some very good cricket in patches earlier. Here also at half-time we thought we were a bit short to be honest. We've built up a pretty good relation (him and Stirling), we know each other well. Very satisfied with our performance, and taking 10 wickets was very pleasing. You rarely run through a side, they were always going to get a partnership. I wanted Boyd (Rankin) to be as aggressive as possible.

5.35pm: Ireland looked like they had not got enough on the board. They were looking good for 240-250, but ended up with just 210. But their bowlers were magnificent, and weathered a threatening stand between Asghar Afghan and Mohammad Nabi.

Ireland's last ODI win was also against Afghanistan, but came back in March, in Dehradun. Since then they've played five ODIs without tasting victory - four defeats and one abandonment.

5.32pm: Great win for Ireland, they've been waiting for a win for some time now. This was driven by the bowlers, starting with Tim Murtagh, then with Andy McBrine's ten overs on the trot, and down to Mark Adair's strikes and even the veteran Boyd Rankin putting a horror start behind him to strike back. Adair's 4-19 is his career best too.

35.4
W
Adair to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, OUT, brilliant return catch to end the game. Backed away, this was a yorker on middle stump and Mujeeb made the room to drill this back, but Adair was in the way and got his hands up to take a reflex catch very smartly. Ireland have wrapped this up very quickly, and won by 72 runs.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman c & b Adair 0 (2m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

35.3
0
Adair to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, no run, full ball on the stumps, Mujeeb drives firmly from the crease to mid-on, who makes an athletic tumbling stop
35.2
W
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, OUT, taken at long-on. Good length ball outside off, and Naib wanted to go straight down the ground, but got it off the inside half and it flew straight down long-on's throat. Ireland a wicket away now

Gulbadin Naib c sub (TE Kane) b Adair 20 (38m 18b 2x4 0x6) SR: 111.11

35.1
0
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, no run, good length on the stumps, he gets nicely behind it and blocks it back to the bowler

nathaniel demer: "Ashmal Khot , its not easy for afgan batsmen to play fearless right away in new condition , they need bit of time to adapt. Besides ireland has improved significantly recently , perhaps irish are stronger side ."

END OF OVER:
35 | 11 Runs | AFG: 138/8 (73 runs required from 15 overs, RR: 3.94, RRR: 4.86)

  • Aftab Alam5 (7b)
  • Gulbadin Naib20 (16b)
  • Boyd Rankin7-1-40-3
  • Mark Adair6-0-19-2
34.6
4
Rankin to Aftab Alam, FOUR, well that's one way of dealing with the short ball threat. Clear front leg, back away and swing hard. It was straight and on a length so he gets hold of it nicely and sends it screaming to the deep midwicket fence
34.5
0
Rankin to Aftab Alam, no run, well Alam was expecting the short one, backed away a long way, but Rankin bowled a length ball nipping into him, and he jabs it towards point

some fielding changes taking place. McCollum calling for a helmet to come in at short square leg. Gives Aftab Alam food for thought, perhaps one is going to come to his throat? Or leave him expecting that and bowl a full one? We'll see... McCollum is not standing very close in though, about 8 yards out at short leg

34.4
0
Rankin to Aftab Alam, no run, good ball, he was backing away but Rankin follows him with a yorker, which he can only dig back out to the bowler's left
34.3
1
Rankin to Gulbadin Naib, 1 run, another outside edge, but safe again. Fullish outside off and he wanted to thump a drive, but it flies off to third man
34.2
4
Rankin to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR, latched on to that well, with Rankin again erring in line. Length ball straying on the pads and he's tickled it fine for four
34.1
2
Rankin to Gulbadin Naib, 2 runs, has a big swing at it, full ball outside off, and it flies off the outside edge. Lands safe though well over point but short of anyone on the boundary

Adzy: "100 ODI wickets up for Big Boyd Rankin! Congrats!!!"

END OF OVER:
34 | 7 Runs | AFG: 127/8 (84 runs required from 16 overs, RR: 3.73, RRR: 5.25)

  • Aftab Alam1 (4b)
  • Gulbadin Naib13 (13b)
  • Mark Adair6-0-19-2
  • Boyd Rankin6-1-29-3
33.6
0
Adair to Aftab Alam, no run, swing and a miss! Was backing away to give himself room and swung for the fences, but made connection with air
33.5
1
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, 1 run, short on the stumps, he goes on the back foot and pulls to deep midwicket
33.4
1
Adair to Aftab Alam, 1 run, just short of mid-on good short ball, outside off, he wants to flat-bat it back past the bowler, but gets the toe-end. The ball loops up but drops just short of the fielder at mid-on
33.3
1
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, 1 run, good length outside off again, but he goes back to allow him to slap this to cover's left, where he dives and saves runs

Ashmal Khot: "I don't understand why the Afghan top order the likes of Shahzad and Zazai are not playing fearlessly if they play their natural game and get out that is fine at least they will get a good start if they click"

33.2
0
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, no run, good length outside off, he stays in his crease and punches to cover
33.1
4
Adair to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR, back of a length, and he rocks back to pull this to deep midwicket. Went off the bottom half of the bat but it has enough legs to get to the fence

Adair is back. Maybe Porterfield should give Murtagh a chance to mop up the tail and add some wickets? He's the one who set it all up...

END OF OVER:
33 | (wicket maiden) | AFG: 120/8 (91 runs required from 17 overs, RR: 3.63, RRR: 5.35)

  • Aftab Alam0 (2b)
  • Gulbadin Naib7 (9b)
  • Boyd Rankin6-1-29-3
  • Kevin O'Brien3-0-21-1
32.6
0
Rankin to Aftab Alam, no run, good length outside off, the batsman was backing away again, wisely pulls out of a shot because he'd have had to reach for it
32.5
0
Rankin to Aftab Alam, no run, yorker tailing into him, he was backing away a bit, pats it to mid-on
32.4
W
Rankin to Dawlat Zadran, OUT, caught by the keeper off a top edge. Dug this in short again, Dawlat was moving across once again, and tried to pull it fine, but only got a top edge. Looped straight behind for a dolly of a catch. This could all end quickly

Dawlat Zadran c †Wilson b Rankin 0 (4m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

32.3
0
Rankin to Dawlat Zadran, no run, fuller and slower ball, but he waits for it and defends it back with a straight bat

Afghanistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st7Mohammad ShahzadHazratullah Zazai
2nd12Rahmat ShahHazratullah Zazai
3rd3Asghar AfghanHazratullah Zazai
4th18Asghar AfghanHashmatullah Shahidi
5th54Mohammad NabiAsghar Afghan
6th10Asghar AfghanGulbadin Naib
7th16Gulbadin NaibRashid Khan
8th0Gulbadin NaibDawlat Zadran
9th18Gulbadin NaibAftab Alam
10th0Aftab AlamMujeeb Ur Rahman