The abbreviated format of the game was reduced even further, as rain meant the game was cut to 18 overs per side. The Ireland team was missing two key players, as Niall O’Brien (ankle), and Trent Johnston (shoulder), were not risked given that the game was in effect a dead rubber.
India won the toss and opted to bat first, and that decision by MS Dhoni was fully vindicated by a impressive opening burst from Zaheer Khan, who removed Jeremy Bray (0), William Porterfield (5), and Andre Botha (8) in quick succession. Bray lost his middle stump, while Porterfield and Botha both edged the left armer to the safe hands of Yusuf Pathan at slip.
That left Ireland at 17-3, and their hopes of posting a challenging total were effectively ended when the big hitting Kevin O’Brien dragged the first delivery from Pragyan Ojha onto his stumps, departing for just 2, and Ireland were in the mire at 28 for 4.
Gary Wilson made 19 before being completely foxed by Harbajan Singh’s doosra. John Mooney (19) played two impressive reverse sweeps, but it was that shot which proved his ultimate downfall, when he picked out Yuvraj Singh off Ojha.
The next ball saw Regan West make the most basic of errors, not grounding his bat when coming back for a second run, the fielder, Suresh Raina at deep mid on hitting the stumps direct. That made the score 73 for 7 with just 3 overs left, and it looked as if Ireland would struggle to reach the hundred mark.
To their credit, they staged a late rally, sparked off by Andrew White hooking the only six of the Irish innings. They added 39 from those last three overs, with White top scoring with 29, before edging Khan to Dhoni, to give him an analysis of 4-19, which was enough to give him the Man of the Match award.
Alex Cusack (12*) and Kyle McCallan (9*) added 20 form the last 10 balls, and the Irish final total of 112-8 was respectable, if not exactly challenging.
Indian openers Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma played with great assurance, and it looked as if they would take India to a ten wicket win as they put on 77 in 10.5 overs. However the introduction of spin in the form of Regan West gave the Irish the breakthrough, as Gambhir cut straight to Rankin at point. He had made 37 from 31 balls, striking 3 fours and a six.
That brought the Indian captain MS Dhoni to the crease, and he was troubled by a few real lifting deliveries from Boyd Rankin early on, who impressed up until his final delivery, which Rohit Sharma deposited out of the ground.
The ever reliable Kyle McCallan bowled well, and it was he who picked up the wicket of Dhoni, brilliantly caught by Jeremy Bray at deep square leg, who clung on diving forward after misjudging the flight of the ball.
Sharma brought up his fifty with a lofted drive over cover, reaching the milestone from 44 balls, which included 4 fours and a six. The next ball was pushed for a single and the victory achieved with ease.
A respectable performance by Ireland who now are back in action tomorrow (Thursday) against a New Zealand side which has injury concerns of it’s own. Jessie Ryder definitely misses out, while there are concerns over Daniel Vettori, James Franklin and the big hitting Ross Taylor.
That game at Trent Bridge gets under way at 1:30pm, while they will play Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Sunday, and then Pakistan at The Oval on Monday.
