Joyce steers Ireland to victory over UAE

Dubai - Visitors take 1-0 ODI lead over hosts in tri-series also involving Scotland

A brilliant unbeaten 116 by Ed Joyce steered Ireland to a comfortable five-wicket victory against the UAE in their first ODI of a tri-series also involving Scotland.

The UAE pacer Mohammed Naveed had rocked the Irish batting by taking two early wickets in the space of seven balls when he sent opener Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie without any score against their name and with Ireland five for two in their chase of 223 for victory.

Captain and opener William Porterfield (28, 31, balls, four 4s) and Joyce then steadied the Irish innings by adding 41 runs for the third wicket before the former edged seamer Zahoor Khan for keeper Ghulam Shabber to pouch an easy catch.

The UAE put Ireland in further trouble when Niall O'Brien and Kevin O'Brien fell in quick succession to spinners Rohan Mustafa and Ahmed Raza.

The UAE joy, however, was short-lived as Joyce, who has played two successive World Cups for two different countries (2007 for England and 2011 for Ireland), ensured that Ireland went past the victory target without any further hiccups. And, Gary Wilson (53, 83 balls, three 4s) gave him good support before falling to Ahmed Raza when the scores were level.

Joyce faced 147 balls for his unbeaten match-winning knock and hit 12 fours and a six to take the visiting team to 226 for 6 with four balls to spare.

The UAE total (222 for 9) was built around Rameez Shahzad's sedate knock of 75 that came off 111 balls. The dependable middle order batsman found the ropes seven times and twice went over it while holding one end.

At the other end, Ireland seamers chipped away with wickets, denying the hosts a major partnership that could have taken them to a bigger total.

The UAE's southpaw captain Rohan Mustafa was the first to fall when he edged medium pacer Barry McCarthy and wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien snapped up the chance. Opener Ashfaq Ahmed (35, 35 balls, six 4s) was in aggressive mood as he added 45 runs for the second wicket with Ghulam Shabber (21, 39 balls, four 4s) in 54 balls.

Ashfaq's belligerence proved counterproductive when Peter Chase had him caught by George Dockrell and six runs later O'Brien brothers combined to account for Ghulam caught behind by Niall off Kevin's seam bowling.

Rameez then held one end to stitch three partnerships to take the UAE past 200 mark. First he added 45 runs with Muhammad Usman and then had a partnership of 74 runs with Mohammad Boota (37, 51 balls, four 4s). Adnan Mufti also lent good support for the 37-run sixth wicket partnership. Rameez was the eighth batsman out at 218 in the 49th over when he was caught and bowled by the beanpole of the Irish team - Boyd Rankin, who stands at 6ft 7inch. Four Irish seamers took two wickets each on a pacy and bouncy wicket of the ICC Academy.

Ireland lead 1-0

UAE

R Mustafa c N O'Brien b McCarthy 2

G Shabber c N O'Brien b KJ O'Brien 21

R Shahzad c & b Rankin 75

M Usman c Chase b Dockrell 11

M Boota c O'Brien b Chase 37

A Mufti c Chase b KJ O'Brien 15

M Naveed not out 7

A Raza c O'Brien b Rankin 0

Z Khan c O'Brien b McCarthy 0

Q Ahmed not out 0

Extras: (1b, 8lb, 10w) 19

Total: (50 Overs, nine wickets) 222

Fall: 1-15, 2-60, 3-66, 4-101, 5-175, 6-212, 7-218, 8-219, 9-220.

Bowling: Rankin 10-3-26-2; McCarthy 10-1-47-2; Chase 10-1-50-2; O'Brien 10-1-39-2; Dockrell 10-0-51-1.

Ireland

P Stirling c A Raza b Naveed 0

A Balbirnie c G Shabber b Naveed 0

E Joyce not out 116

N O'Brien c Shabber b Mustafa 4

K O'Brien lbw b A Raza 9

G Wilson c G Shabber b A Raza 53

G Dockrell not out 0

Extras: (4lb, 4nb, 8w) 16

Total: (6 wickets, 49.2 overs) 226

Fall: 1-3, 2-5, 3-46, 4-67, 5-91 , 6-222.

Man-of-theMatch : Ed Joyce.


Remaining tri-series matches


13th Jan: UAE V Ireland - One Day International: 0930 start

16th Jan: Ireland V Scotland - One Day International: 0930 start

18th Jan: Ireland V Scotland - One Day International: 0930 start (oval 1)

21st Jan: UAE V Scotland - One Day International: 0930 start

23rd Jan UAE V Scotland - One Day International: 0930 start