Ireland v Namibia - ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier - Preliminary Final – Match Update
Namibia 94/6 (20/20 ov) v Ireland 96/1 (10.1/20 ov) - Ireland won by 9 wickets (with 59 balls remaining)
March 24, 2012: Ireland qualified for the 2012 International Cricket Council (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625) World Twenty20 after defeating Namibia by nine wickets in the preliminary final of ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier on Saturday, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Namibia, who were at the top of their group with 14 points went up against the second side in the group with 12 points.
However, Ireland proved the better side as they paralyzed Namibia early on to enforce their dominance in the game.
After winning the toss, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DT-Johnston-c1405.
Then with only 19 runs on the board, they lost their second wicket as their premier batsman, Louis http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Robert-Cowdrey-c60631 der Westhuizen, lost his wicket after scoring just 14 runs off 12 deliveries.
The middle-order then failed to put up a show as Namibia kept losing wickets duo to some astounding bowling from Ireland, which squeezed the flow of runs.
In the middle, skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sarel-Francois-Burger-c88808 knocked a pleasant innings of 20 runs, while at the later stage of the innings, the unbeaten knock of 26 runs by Ian Opperman helped the side post 94 runs in 20 overs for the loss of six wickets.
The tally posted by Namibia was not daunting at all, and the side needed to give a bowling performance of a lifetime to halt http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751 from snatching an obvious victory.
Meanwhile, the Irish openers http://www.senore.com/Cricket/PR-Stirling-c2200 staggered a belligerent batting attack as they ripped through Namibia’s bowling.
The batsmen clobbered a partnership of 41 runs before Porterfield became their only casualty of the match as he found his way back to the pavilion after scoring 20 runs.
Meanwhile, his opening partner amassed a stupendous tally of 59 off 32 deliveries to help the side win the match as Ireland reached the target in 10.1 overs.
MC Sorensen from Ireland, who grabbed two wickets in his four overs by giving away eight runs was named as the Player of the Match.
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