Barramundis beat Ireland in final T20 match

 PAPUA New Guinea finished their cricket series against Ireland on a high after winning their final T20 International by 11 runs in a low scoring affair in Townsville yesterday. 

Standing in for Barramundis’ captain Jack Vare, Assad Vala won the toss and elected to bat on a crumbling wicket at the Tony Ireland Stadium. 

Vala and Vani Vagi Morea got the Hebou-sponsored national side off to a steady start, putting on 26 runs for the first wicket before three quick wickets had PNG at 28/3 in the seventh over. 

Mahuru Dai (19) and Sese Bau (25) then steadied the innings, putting on 48 runs for the fourth wicket before all-rounder, Charles Amini Jr came in at number six to hit a run-a-ball 24 runs to help guide the Barramundis to a respectable 116/8 off their allotted 20 overs. 

In reply, Ireland got off to a disastrous start with Chad Soper claiming both opening batsmen to have Ireland at 18/2 in the fourth over. Playing in his 200th match for Ireland, Gary Wilson (15) and Niall O’Brien (27) got their chase back on target, before Vala introduced Amini into the attack. 

Amini claimed the wickets of Wilson and Ireland big hitting batsmen, Kevin O’Brien in consecutive balls to leave Ireland in trouble at 4/49. 

Ireland kept battling on, losing wickets at crucial moments of the match to need 12 runs off the last over with only a single wicket in hand. 

Soper had the responsibility of bowling the last over, and with his first ball Murtagh skied a ball with Vala comfortably taking a catch at mid-wicket, to give the Barramundis an 11-run victory. 

The win was PNG’s first win on the tour after losing to Ireland by 145 runs in the Inter-Continental Cup four-day game) and then falling short in the first two T20Is by five wickets and seven runs respectively. 

The Barramundis return home today.