Campher’s four-in-four help Ireland victory

Champika Fernando in Abu Dhabi

Curtis Campher ripped through Netherlands’s top order with an astonishing four wickets in four balls as Ireland cleared the first hurdle of qualifying for Super 12’s of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup first with a crushing seven-wicket win in the first Group A fixture at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

The 22-year-old former South African U-19 cricketer became the first bowler to record the feat at a World Cup even though Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga have already done it international cricket.

The carnage began when Campher had Colin Ackermann caught behind in the second ball of his second over after Netherlands elected to bat under hot and humid conditions in the desert. Though the umpire initially turned down the appeal, thinking that the batter had not nicked the short ball tailing down leg, television replays showed a faint nick when the ball passed the batter to the wicket-keeper.

The next ball was a cracker. Veteran Dutch cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate who was trapped leg before.  Campher was on a hat-trick and bowled a fuller length delivery that hit Scott Edwards on the front pad but was ruled not out by umpire Rod Tucker, who thought the ball was missing the leg. Ireland weren’t happy with the decision and had it reviewed. The Hawk-Eye confirmed that the ball was smacking the leg stumps, causing an eruption of on-field celebrations.

Former South African international Roelof van der Merwe was his fourth victim as Merwe threw his bat and dragged a wide one into the off-stump. The young seamer became the first Irish to clinch a hat-trick, putting the Netherlands in deep trouble at 51 for 6 in 10 overs. Campher finished with figures of 4 for 26.

Max O’Dowd stood firm, making a well composed half century but that wasn’t sufficient to give them a dependable total as Netherlands were restricted for 106 runs with Mark Adair supporting Campher with an economical spell, picking three wickets for just nine runs.

"Not at all. I've struggled with injuries so just good to be out there. Wasn't feeling great but thankfully I went through a few. It's a little bit slow, the UAE is like that, so nice to come off today,” said the history-making seamer following his stunning performance.

Ireland was chasing a modest total and did not have much trouble crossing the line. Kevin O'Brien (9) (Andy Balbirnie (8) were removed cheaply, reducing them for 36 for 2 by the fifth over but veteran cricketer Paul Stirling and Gareth Delany led the team to victory, sharing 59 runs for the fifth wicket. Delany played a ruthless innings scoring 44 off 29 balls, hitting five four and two sixes but fell 12 runs short of winning the game. Sterling remained unbeaten on 30 while Campher, who was the main architect of the win, hit the winning run, as they reached the target with 29 balls to left.

Ireland will play Sri Lanka on Wednesday in their second Group A game.

Scores in brief:

Ireland beat Netherlands at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi by seven wickets.

Netherlands 106 all out, in 20 overs (Max O’Dowd 51, Pieter Seelaar 21; Curtis Campher 4/26, Mark Adair 3/9) 

Ireland 107/3, in 15.1 overs (Gareth Delaney 44, Paul Stirling 30; Pieter Seelaar 1-14; Fred Klaasen 1-18) 

Player of the Match: Curtis Campher (Ireland)