In the second match of the day at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Ireland hung in there and kept taking wickets at regular intervals to keep Australia under check. Ireland got rid of Travis Head early but the other batters stepped up and drove Australia forward but Ireland kept at it and have managed to get 4 wickets in the first 10 overs. The match is in the balance as Ireland keeping themselves interested by taking regular wickets.
Australia gets off to a quick start in powerplay despite losing a couple of wickets
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, captain Travis Head and Josh Inglis came out to bat for Australia while Matthew Humphreys had ball in hand for Ireland. Head rocked back and cut it away between backward point and cover point for a boundary. Mark Adair came into the attack next. Australia lost their first wicket as the captain Head fell for 6 off 7 balls with one boundary to his name as he was run out.
Cameron Green came out to bat next. Inglis hit Adair for a boundary by delightfully punching it behind square. Humphreys continued as Inglis square drove it past the backward point fielder for a boundary. Inglis went on a rampage as he pulled it to deep fine leg for a boundary and then got it past short third for a boundary. Barry McCarthy came into the attack next.
Green took the attack to the bowler as he bashed McCarthy through mid-off for a boundary. Then he heaved it away over square leg for the maximum. Adair continued as Inglis pulled the bowler away for the maximum. Green went big again as he cleared deep square leg for the maximum. But Adair had the last laugh as he dismissed Green for 21 off 11 balls with 1 four and 2 sixes to his name.
The off-cutter on off-stump where Green went for the slog across the line and bent his back leg. He was early into the stroke and got it off the toe end of the bat. George Dockrell at midwicket took the catch by diving forward. Matt Renshaw came out to bat next. Gareth Delany came to bowl the last over of the powerplay. Inglis welcomed him with a boundary by going inside out over extra covers for a boundary. At the end of the powerplay, Australia were 64/2 with Inglis unbeaten on 33 off 15 balls while Renshaw was unbeaten on 2 off 3 balls. The players took Drinks at this stage.
Ireland chip away at the wickets to keep Australia at 90/4 in 10 overs
George Dockrell came into the attack next. Inglis split the field as he rocked back and pulled it towards deep midwicket region for a boundary. Dockrell came back and got rid of Inglis for 37 off 17 balls with 6 fours and one six to his name. Dockrell bowled a flighted delivery on a good length outside the off-stump. Inglis planted his front leg and went for a drive but was a little early into it. He failed to keep it down and hit it uppishly to Stirling at covers who took the catch.
Glenn Maxwell came out to bat next. Harry Tector came into the attack next. He bowled a decent first over. Dockrell continued as Maxwell punished him by pulling to deep square leg for a boundary. Tector continued to bowl the 10th over. He got rid of Maxwell for 9 off 9 balls with one four to his name. Tector bowled from around the wicket short and outside the off-stump. Maxwell got across on his back foot and tried to cut it but the ball was a bit close to his body as it straightens out.
Maxwell got an inside edge and the keeper Tucker showed great reflexes to take the catch. Marcus Stoinis came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. At the end of 10 overs, Australia were 90/4 with Renshaw unbeaten on 14 off 14 balls and Stoinis unbeaten on 1 off 2 balls. The game was up for grabs now.
What Lies Ahead
The game is in the balance at the moment as Ireland have chipped away at the wickets. Australia maintaining a healthy run rate and if they can get to 160-170 on this pitch, it will be a good score. Ireland have to keep taking wickets from here. Let’s see how the second half of the innings pans out from here.
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