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DEHRADUN – Ireland’s bowlers reined Afghanistan back in after a strong start, before persistent showers ruined what was setting up to be an intriguing contest in the second ODI at Dehradun.
Before the day’s play, Ireland handed a debut cap to the left-arm off spinner James Cameron-Dow. The 28-year old had deservedly been selected for the squad off the back of a sensational tour of Sri Lanka with the Ireland Wolves in January.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Afghanistan’s openers quickly put Ireland under the cosh, adding 90 runs for the first wicket. Hazratullah Zazai, who hit Ireland for a record 162* during the T20I series which preceded this one, demonstrated his form had not waned with a change of formats, striking his second ball, bowled by Tim Murtagh, out of the stadium for six. He would go onto to strike another four maximums before McBrine claimed his wicket, enticing Zazai to top-edge a slog-sweep, allowing Andrew Balbirnie at slip to run back and take the catch.

One wicket brought another in the very next over, with George Dockrell dismissing Javed Ahmadi for 22. With Zazai gone, the set batsman attempted to take on the run-scoring onus himself, only to chip a catch straight to mid-on.

From 92-2, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi added 87 to hand the hosts back the ascendancy. The pair lived a charmed life, only getting off the mark when they completed a single after a running mix-up, and surviving two dropped chances, one each.

Dockrell took the fielders out of the equation, bowling Rahmat between bat and pad for 52, but was then hit for two consecutive boundaries by Asghar Afghan, as Afghanistan’s captain looked to make good on the strong platform laid by the top order. His stay was to be a short one, as McBrine bowled him off the inside edge of Afghan’s third ball.

Image: Zazai hits out

That brought the explosive Mohammad Nabi to the crease, but Ireland manage to limit his damage to just the two sixes before Simi Singh claimed his first wicket, having the all-rounder caught on the long-on boundary as he attempted to go big for a third time.

Hashmatullah brought up his half-century soon after, but was dismissed the over after that, pulling Boyd Rankin down Simi Singh’s throat at deep square leg. Dockrell then claimed his third, pulling back his length after seeing that Gulbadin Naib was coming down the track – Naib missed, and Stuart Poynter completed the formalities behind the stumps.

Murtagh and Dockrell did well thereafter to keep the run rate down, until Rashid Khan hit the third ball of what should have been the penultimate over for six. Instead, that was to be the day’s last action as rain brought a halt to proceedings, and eventually washed out the contest.

Ireland’s bowlers had done well to limit their opponents after a strong start, keeping the boundary count in the last 10 overs to just two. The first four bowlers used – Murtagh, McBrine, Rankin, and Singh – all conceded less than five an over, and while Dockrell chipped in with three key wickets.

Afghanistan lead the five-match series 1-0.

After the close of play today, Ireland’s spinning all-rounder Simi Singh said:

“Today it was a shame it rained off because we did quite a reasonable job with the ball, and that score was par score, I think. We just need to click a couple of partnerships together. Obviously Stirlo [Paul Stirling] and Kevvy [Kevin O’Brien] are in good form – Dockers [George Dockrell] as well towards the end. Other people just need to find a bit of form and we’ll definitely back ourselves to come out on top at the end of the series.”

“I’m really delighted with my performance, and indeed all other bowlers today who chipped in. Personally I feel the ball is coming out beautifully at the moment – I’m happy with the accuracy and the pace I am bowling with. There’s even some natural variations, some just skidding on – which is pitch dependent as well, but I’m especially pleased of my bowling against that kind of attack.”

“The wickets, as compared to the T20s, are more spin-friendly, especially in that first ODI match. I think they will incline that way a lot more as we progress in the series.”

Asked whether his time spent training in India over the Irish winter has contributed to his current form, he said:

“I had been training a lot on my bowling every day, with the leg-spinners as well – which I haven’t really brought out in the games yet. It has certainly helped bowling on these pitches, as you have to bowl with the right kind of pace depending on each wicket. So practising in these conditions has definitely been helping out.”

Asked about his reaction to the debut of fellow spinner James Cameron-Dow, he said:

“I am absolutely delighted for Jimmy, he has done so well on the Wolves tour before this in Sri Lanka, so it was great he got his chance today. Obviously it’s a big step up from the A side, but I’m sure he’s already realised that and he’ll now be starting to think about options needed for going further on. He’s a delightful bowler to watch – I really admire his bowling, and it’s great to have another spinner aboard. We played four spinners today, and on that pitch that was essential, as it gives our captain more options.”

SCOREBOARD IN BRIEF

Afghanistan v Ireland, One-Day International, 2 March 2019, Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun

Afghanistan 250-7 (48.3 overs; H Zazai 67, R Shah 54, H Shahidi 52; G Dockrell 3-51)
Ireland DNB

No result

A full scorecard can be found here.

Ben Gardner, Wisden
No
Connaught