Stirling and Poynter get Ireland nod for India T20s
PAUL Stirling and Stuart Poynter are the two additions to the Ireland squad for next week’s two Twenty20 internationals against India at Malahide.
The Middlesex and Durham professionals are both in county action this week — Stirling scored 52 off 56 balls in the Championship yesterday — and are rested for Sunday’s T20 testimonial game for Ed Joyce in Arundel, but the 12 in Sussex will all be part of the squad for the games on Wednesday and Friday.
It means the two changes from the 14 that took part in the Tri-Series in Holland last week are Andy McBrine and Josh Little for Barry McCarthy and Craig Young.
McBrine saw his North West Warriors side enjoy a much improved second day of their Championship match against Leinster Lightning at Bready.
Leading the comeback was Ireland Test captain William Porterfield with his second century for Warriors, and his tenth in first-class cricket. He starts the final day 115 not out with the Warriors 21 runs ahead and seven second innings wickets left.
With the sun out for much of the day, the Lightning bowlers did not enjoy the same swing or seam movement second time around after dismissing their hosts for 80 on Wednesday.
This time, having surrendered a first innings lead of 193, it was a much more disciplined batting performance by Warriors with Porterfield and David Barr setting the perfect example, their opening stand worth just 50 but using up 28 valuable overs.
It allowed Aaron Gillespie to come in against an older ball and he showed his talent in a 117-ball innings, ended just two runs short of a third first-class 50 by Andrew Balbirnie, Lightning’s third spinner, who followed up with Stuart Thompson’s wicket.
But any late panic was halted by Porterfield, who brought up his century from a patient 242 balls with 12 fours, and next ball ensured that Lightning would have to bat again.
At the start of the day, George Dockrell crashed boundaries off Craig Young’s third and fourth deliveries to take him to within eight runs of his maiden firstclass century, but next ball he was bowled.
Little, who didn’t bowl yesterday because of a slight side strain — but it should not affect
North West Warriors 1st Innings 80
LEINSTER LIGHTNING 1ST INNINGS (Overnight 193-6, A Balbirnie 35)
Total (70.4 overs)
Bowling: his participation in next week’s T20 internationals — and Peter Chase then enjoyed themselves with the bat, and Jarred Barnes piled on the pain with a six and a four off successive deliveries from David Scanlon, who had
NORTH WEST WARRIORS 2ND INNS
the final say when Little was caught at slip, his fourth wicket. Ireland Squad: G Wilson (capt), A Balbirnie, P Chase, G Dockrell, J Little, A McBrine, K O’Brien, W Porterfield, S Poynter, B Rankin, J Shannon, S Singh, P Stirling, S Thompson.