At the T20 World Cup on Wednesday, Ireland stunned Scotland by six wickets thanks in large part to a spectacular 119-run partnership between George Dockrell and Curtis Campher, who had first looked out for the count.
The Scots scored the biggest total of the competition so far, 176-5, at Bellerive Oval in Hobart in ideal conditions, with to Michael Jones’ 86. After 10 overs, the Scots had reduced the Irish to 65-4.
When they arrived to the wicket, though, Campher (69 off 32 balls) and Dockrell (39 off 27) let loose with some pyrotechnics, guiding them home against all odds and with an over to spare.
After losing to Zimbabwe on Monday, it was their first victory of the competition, and it widens the field in Group B.
After their highest-ever successful run chase at a World Cup, Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie commented, “Pretty remarkable, I can’t recall a more significant combination.”
Even if we faltered near the end of the year despite playing some fantastic cricket, the lads deserve credit for the partnership.
They got off to a rocky start by easily losing Balbirnie and Paul Stirling, which made their mission much more difficult.
After 10 overs, they had collapsed to 65-4 and it seemed all but over. Lorcan Tucker (20) and Harry Tector (14) had put up 28 before both left within six balls.
However, the tide turned when Dockrell and Campher entered the crease and started swinging the bat, scoring 18 runs off a single Mark Watt over.
They kept up the pressure to cross the finish line by lowering the required runs to 52 off the last five overs.
Scotland captain Richard Berrington said, “The idea was to take early wickets, put them under pressure, but credit to Campher and Dockrell for that immaculate combination, they snatched the game away from us.”
“Jones was outstanding throughout the innings, I felt, with the bat,” said the reviewer.
As Scotland sought to capitalize on their dramatic 42-run shock of two-time winners West Indies on Monday, Jones smashed a scorching 86 off 55 balls.
It was the greatest score ever recorded in a T20 World Cup and the highest score ever by a Scot.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat, they too got off to a rough start with opener George Munsey, who shone against the West Indies, only going for two balls.
Jones was joined by Matthew Cross, and the two of them sounded a 59. Cross, though, was caught for 28 after being duped by a slower delivery when Campher entered the assault.
Before finally falling in the last over, Jones played superbly, reaching his first T20 half-century off 38 balls with a single and being effectively backed by Berrington (37) and Michael Leask (17).