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Ireland A started a rain-affected three-day match against the MCC today
Ireland A’s three-day match against The MCC in Stormont was hit by rain on the first day this morning and play only got under way at 3:30pm.
Captain James Shannon won the toss and elected to field, hopeful to get a something out of the wicket with the covers having been on all day.

Max Sorensen and left armer Phil Eaglestone opened and got off to a good start when YMCA player Reinhardt Strydom (2) chased a wide delivery and found a thick outside edge to Stuart Thompson at gully off Eaglestone in the fourth over.

Eaglestone kept things tight up front and was rewarded with a second wicket when former Scotland captain Ryan Watson (0) played a loose pull shot and mistimed it to be easily caught by Andy McBrine at square leg in the sixth over.

Former Queensland player Clint Perren joined opener Julian Russell after the second wicket. Russell had started well, accumulating runs with pushes off both back foot and front foot through the covers, as well as punishing the wide ball with his favourite cut shot through backward point for four.

The pair continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over and punished the Ireland A bowlers who were unable to build any sort of pressure, their inconsistent line and length giving the batsmen too many boundary balls and they passed 50 in the 14th over.

Eddie Richardson was introduced into the attack and showed more consistency, bowling impressive away swingers and was unlucky not too have Perren out when he found the outside edge, a low chance being dropped at second slip by John Anderson with Perrin on 33, the score 88-2 at the time.

Russell played a patient innings and brought up his 50 off 95 balls while Perren reached his 50 soon after, bringing it up with a classy cover drive for four off 88 balls.

Perren started to play more expansively after reaching his 50. Finishing on 71* off 97 balls, he took a liking to off-spinner Andy McBrine with a six over long on followed by another classy cover drive for four the next ball.

A late chance was put down by keeper Fintan McCallister when left-hander Russell got an inside edge off Thompson. Russell finished the day on 51* from 102 balls and the fourth wicket partnership he shared with Perren of 131 left MCC 146-2 when the rain started coming down in the 36th over. With only 10 minutes left in the day’s play, the umpires called time.

Eaglestone was the pick of the bowlers with 9 overs 2-17, the other bowlers failing to bowl a consistent line and length. The wicket is a good one with the great weather over the previous week but with bad weather forecast for tomorrow, it’s fingers crossed that the rain stays away.

Cricket Ireland
Stormont was hit by rain today
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