Ireland keeps T20WC hopes alive with 6-wicket win over Scotland

HOBART, Oct 19: Curtis Campher struck his maiden half-century after a fine show with the ball to guide Ireland to a six-wicket win over Scotland and keep their T20 World Cup Super 12 stage hopes alive here on Wednesday.
Campher bailed out Ireland from a spot of bother while chasing a challenging 177-run target and took his side home with one over to spare in the first round Group B match.
The win infused a fresh lease of life to Ireland’s T20 World Cup campaign, which had a stuttering start as they lost by 31 runs to Zimbabwe in the opener.
In trouble at 61 for 4 in the 10th over, Campher (72 not out) joined hands with George Dockrell (39 not out) as the duo shared 119 runs for the unbroken fifth-wicket stand to chase down the target comfortably in the end.
Campher decorated his quick fire 32-ball knock with seven fours and two sixes, while Dockrell hit four boundaries and one maximum.
Lorcan Tucker (20), captain Andy Balbarinie (14) and Harry Tector (14) were the other notable scorers for Ireland.
Campher’s exploits with the bat came after the all-rounder turned out to be the pick of bowlers for Ireland with figures of 2/9 from his two overs of right-arm medium fast bowling.
Earlier, Michael Jones also hit his maiden T20I fifty, a blazing 55-ball 86, to power Scotland to 176 for 5.
Captain Richie Berrington (37), Matthew Cross (28) and Michael Leask (17 not out) also played useful hands for the Scots. (PTI)