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Gary Wilson in action last year. ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Setback

Sticky wicket: Ireland come up short against Namibia

Our boys came up four runs short in the opening match of the ICC Twenty20 qualification series.

GARY WILSON’S 49 was not enough for Ireland as the came up four runs short of the 160 set by Namibia in Dubai this morning.

The game was the first qualifier for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and Ireland had gone in as favourites.

However, the African side began solidly.

Raymond Van Schoor (31) and Louis van der Westhuizen (34) posting their highest scores of the day.

George Dockrell and Paul Stirling took three wickets each to keep the run chase achievable, but Hendrik Geldenhuys’ only wicket of the day was to bowl out Stirling for a duck in just four balls.

Kevin O’Brien clocked up up 20 runs before Wilson came close to his half centry ensuring the match would go to the wire.

After John Mooney was run out following his 38, Ireland needed 24 runs from 14 balls, but came up just short.

Ireland are competing in Group B of the qualification series which will give the opportunity for just two countries to advance to September’s World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka.

It will be a tightly packed schedule of games with seven games to play over the next week. Next up for Ireland is Kenya tomorrow morning.

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