Curtis Campher scored a brilliant century but it was not enough to prevent Ireland from losing to Scotland by one wicket in a thrilling World Cup Qualifier match in Bulawayo on Wednesday. Campher scored 120 off 108 balls, his second ODI century, b his efforts were overshadowed by Michael Leask’s unbeaten 91 off 61 as Scotland chased down Ireland’s 286-8 with no ball to left.
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Ireland’s top order was in trouble early on as they lost four wickets for just 33 runs. But Campher and George Dockrell put on a 100-run partnership to steady the ship and help Ireland post a competitive total.
Campher was eventually dismissed by Chris Sole, but Dockrell continued to bat well and scored 69 before he got dismissed by Brendon McMullen. Scotland’s chase got off to a slow start as they lost Matthew Cross early on. But Leask and Calum MacLeod put on a 50-run partnership to get the innings back on track.
Leask then took charge and scored the winning runs with a boundary off Mark Adair. The result was a bitter pill to swallow for Ireland, who had been in control for much of the match. But they can take heart from Campher’s century, which was a sign of his growing maturity as a batsman.
Campher’s inning was a masterclass in batting against spin. He showed great patience and skill in dealing with the slow bowlers, and he was able to score runs all around the ground. He was particularly effective against Scotland’s main spinner, Mark Watt, whom he hit for three sixes.
Campher’s inning was a reminder of his potential as a world-class batsman. He is still only 24 years old, and he has already shown that he has the ability to score big runs in international cricket.
Ireland will need to learn from their mistakes
Ireland will need to learn from their mistakes if they are to be successful in the World Cup Qualifier. They were too reliant on Campher in the batting, and they will need to find other ways to score runs if they are to be successful in the tournament.
They will also need to improve their bowling. They were unable to take enough wickets in the first innings, and they will need to be more disciplined in the second innings if they are to defend their total.
Ireland has a good team, but they will need to play their best cricket if they are to qualify for the World Cup. They will need to learn from their mistakes in this match and they will need to find ways to score more runs and take more wickets.
