IRELAND MAINTAINED THEIR 100% start to the seminal Intercontinental Cup competition with a hard-fought win over a stubborn Hong Kong outfit in Belfast today.
John Bracewell’s side jump ahead of Afghanistan in the standings after their fourth consecutive win which eventually came on the final evening of this four-day game.
Ireland lead the table by 19 points with their next hurdle coming against closest rivals Afghanistan in March 2017.
At the halfway stage of the competition, Ireland are in pole position in the race to qualify for a playoff against the country sitting 10th in the Test standings (most likely Zimbabwe).
The winner of that home-and-away playoff will acquire Test status for the next four year cycle.
It’s a goal Ireland have been striving to achieve for some time and they’ve certainly gone about their business in a purposeful and ruthless manner so far.
Today’s 70-run win follows similarly commanding victories over UAE, Namibia and Papua New Guinea.
Set 310 to win on the final day, Hong Kong were never likely to chase the target and by the time Tim Murtagh finally ended the resistance of Nizakat Khan for a stunning 123, the result was a mere formality.
Murtagh broke the back of the visitors’ top-order with a four-wicket haul while George Dockrell and Kevin O’Brien each picked up two wickets at Stormont.
It was another satisfactory performance in the red-ball format for coach John Bracewell, who has yet to see his side fully tested in this competition.
A trip to India to face Associate rivals Afghanistan will be the stiffest test and a potentially defining fixture.
For now, attention turns to a Twenty20 series against Hong Kong next week with Bracewell using the games to shuffle his pack in an attempt to reignite Ireland’s flagging form in the shortest-format.
The international summer will conclude with two ODIs against South Africa and Australia in Benoni later this month.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
