Johnston & Connell Star As Ireland Thump Scotland

Ireland 136-7 (Wilson, White 19) beat
Scotland 99 (Coetzer 43, Johnston 3-20) by 37 runs
ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier Group A, Dubai
Scorecard

A devastating spell of new-ball bowling from Trent Johnston and Peter Connell helped Ireland defeat Scotland by 37 runs and book their place in the last four of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Dubai.

Johnston took three for 20 and Connell two for 17 as Scotland were bowled out for 99 in reply to Ireland's 136 for seven in a low-scoring finale to the group stages which saw Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands also progress.

Scotland, chasing 137 to win, were always unlikely to come back after they were reduced to six for four and 12 for five as Johnston and Connell ran riot.

Kyle Coetzer blasted 43 in 39 balls and Gordon Drummond chipped in with 35 but there was no way back, spinner George Dockrell also taking two wickets.

Earlier, the highest individual score in Ireland's innings was 19, achieved by both Gary Wilson and Andrew White after Ireland lost the toss but lost wickets at regular intervals.

Opener William Porterfield made 18, Niall O'Brien 17 and Andre Botha 13 to set the scene for an innings in which a number of batsmen got in but big partnerships were elusive.

Majid Haq and Coetzer both returned two wickets to give Scotland a chance but it took just 20 balls for those chances to be extinguished when Ireland came to bowl.

© Cricket World 2010

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