Ireland vs. UAE: Highlights, Scorecard, Report from Cricket World Cup

A day after William Porterfield took aim at the ICC over their plans to reduce the number of teams at a World Cup to 10 from 2019, his Ireland side gave weight to his argument with a thrilling win over UAE.

Ireland, along with the other Associate Nations, are desperate for more competitive cricket to grow the game. The ICC’s plans look set to deny them that, but Porterfield is banging the drum and his side did their cause no harm by making it two wins from as many games in Group B.

UAE also enhanced their reputation by batting with swagger and bowling with craft and guile, but they bumped into a Kevin O'Brien masterclass as he blasted 50 off 25 balls to help his side to a two-wicket victory with four balls to spare.

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Porterfield won the toss in Brisbane and asked UAE to have first hit. From the moment the skipper took a catch off Paul Stirling to remove Andri Berenger, his side looked confident.

Stirling claimed a second wicket in his following over, with Kevin O’Brien taking a juggling catch at slip to prise out Krishna Chandran for a duck.

"

WATCH: Paul Stirling strikes with Kevin O'Brien taking a smart catch #fireitup #cwc15 http://t.co/TIdDym9ADk

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 25, 2015"

Amjad Ali looked at ease in the conditions, but he fell five short of his fifty—with Kevin O’Brien showing his all-round skills with the wicket.

Further wickets fell to leave UAE in real trouble at 131 for 6, but Shaiman Anwar and Amjad Javed took advantage of the excellent batting conditions.

The pair went on the attack in the final 15 overs and put on a record partnership for the seventh wicket at a World Cup of 107.

"

100 partnership for UAE - a record 7th wicket partnership in World Cups! 238-6 http://t.co/GKDeAqZVeF #cwc15 #IREvUAE pic.twitter.com/5ffYi0aNmr

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 25, 2015"

The partnership was broken when Ed Joyce took an excellent running catch at deep square leg to remove Javed.

Anwar was not deterred and continued his assault on the Ireland bowlers. He got under the skin of Kevin O’Brien, with his movement at the crease infuriating the bowler. The batsman won the battle to become the first UAE player to reach three figures at a World Cup.

"

CENTURY! Anwar is the first UAE batsman to score a World Cup ton- http://t.co/GKDeAqZVeF #cwc15 #IREvUAE pic.twitter.com/m2Kn5BkBb2

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 25, 2015"

Max Sorensen returned to finally prise out Anwar, but his 106 took UAE to a respectable 278 for 9—a score which did not look likely when they were six down for 131 with 15 overs remaining.

"

Chris Gayle's 200 will be called the innings of the World Cup but this one from Shaiman Anwar is very very important #CWC15 #IREvUAE

— Josh (@joshrobbo44) February 25, 2015"

Batsman	How Out	Runs	Minutes	Balls
Amjad Ali	c Sorensen b KJ O'Brien	45	80	71
AR Berenger	c Porterfield b Stirling	13	47	25
Krishna Chandran	c KJ O'Brien b Stirling	0	7	4
Khurram Khan	lbw b Dockrell	36	75	53
SP Patil†	c Stirling b KJ O'Brien	2	7	8
Shaiman Anwar	c †Wilson b Sorensen	106	127	83
Rohan Mustafa	c †Wilson b Cusack	2	13	9
Amjad Javed	c Joyce b Sorensen	42	55	35
Mohammad Naveed	c & b Cusack	13	19	11
Mohammad Tauqir*	not out	2	6	2
AM Guruge	not out	0	2	0
Extras	(b 1, lb 4, w 11, nb 1)	17
Total	(9 wickets; 50 overs)	278
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
JF Mooney	6	0	32	0
MC Sorensen	10	0	60	2
AR Cusack	10	0	54	2
PR Stirling	10	0	27	2
KJ O'Brien	7	0	61	2
GH Dockrell	7	0	39	1

Ireland’s chase began in disappointing fashion as Stirling feathered the ball behind to Swapnil Patil off Manjula Guruge.

Porterfield and Joyce set about a rebuilding process, but the latter received a huge slice of fortune.

Having battled his way to 16 in the face of some tight UAE bowling, Joyce missed a swinging ball from Javed. The ball hit the off stump and sent the bail into the air, and lights flashing. But as the UAE players celebrated, the bail dropped back into its groove and Joyce survived.

"

Ed Joyce getting a tad lucky this morning for Ireland in the World Cup https://t.co/vIb7G9XVxz

— Mission Sports (@_MissionSports) February 25, 2015"

Joyce was dropped a few overs later by Mohammad Tauqir, but his luck finally ran out on 42 when he edged Javed behind to the gleeful figure of Patil.

The miserly UAE bowling increased the pressure on Ireland, and the spin of Tauqir ripped the heart out of the middle order.

Tauqir’s catching may not be great, but his bowling is pretty useful and he cleaned up Porterfield with a ball that beat the batsman in the flight and trapped Niall O’Brien lbw.

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Ireland were in real trouble at the point of Niall O’Brien’s departure, but Gary Wilson and Andy Balbirnie steadied the ship with a 74-run partnership in 13 overs.

The partnership provided stability and, crucially, a platform for Kevin O’Brien to spring from.

Kevin O’Brien is as dangerous as any batsman in world cricket in the later overs—just ask England's players from four years ago—and he flayed the ball round the ground from the moment he arrived at the crease.

The assault shifted the momentum, while Kevin O’Brien also received a slice of luck in the 43rd over when he was dropped on the boundary by substitute fielder Nasir Aziz.

O'Brien seized on his chance and smashed his way to a 25-ball 50, only to give his wicket away with a tame dismissal.

The departure of O'Brien left Ireland requiring 36 off 32 balls. Wilson took up the baton and his 80 moved Ireland to the brink of victory and Alex Cusack and George Dockrell saw them over the line with four balls to spare.

Batsman	How Out	Runs	Minutes	Balls
WTS Porterfield	b Mohammad Tauqir	37		64
PR Stirling	c †Patil b Guruge	3		9
EC Joyce	c †Patil b Amjad Javed	37		49
NJ O'Brien	lbw b Mohammad Tauqir	17		24
A Balbirnie	c sub (Saqlain Haider) b Mohammad Naveed	30		41
GC Wilson	c Amjad Javed b Mohammad Naveed	80		69
KC O'Brien	c Mohammad Naveed b Amjad Javed	50		25
JF Mooney	c Amjad Ali b Amjad Javed	2		6
AR Cusack	not out	5		6
GH Dockrell	not out	7		5
Extras	(b 4, lb 3, w 2, nb 2)	11
Total	(8 wickets; 49.2 overs)	279
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Mohammad Naveed	9.2	1	65	2
AM Guruge	7	0	21	1
Amjad Javed	10	0	60	3
Mohammad Tauqir	9	0	38	2
Rohan Mustafa	9	0	45	0
Krishna Chandran	5	0	43	0

With two wins from as many games, Ireland are still on course to book a slot in the knockout stages of the tournament.

They won't have designs on winning the competition, but they are furthering their cause for more appearances at cricket's top table.