Barramundis face daunting task against Irish in World Cup qualifier

THE Hebou Papua New Guinea Barramundis face Ireland today in their second one-day cricket World Cup qualifier pool match at the famous Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe.
Ireland started their ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier campaign on a perfect note defeating Netherlands by 93 runs at the Old Hararians Ground last Sunday while the Barramundis slumped to a 56-run defeat to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Norman Vanua (4-39) and Alei Nao (2-42) helped the Barramundis reduce UAE to 221 in the opening match despite a brilliant 95 from UAE captain Roshan Mustafa.
After a rain delay which forced the match to be reduced to 28 overs with a victory target of 169, PNG crumbled to be all out for 113 in 25.5 overs, losing by 56 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Mohammad Naveed was the chief destroyer for UAE taking 5-28 while six out of the Barramundis’ batsmen reached double figures with Charles Amini Jr (24) and Norman Vanua (20) top scoring.
It won’t get any easier for the Barramundis, taking on the newly promoted ICC full-member, Ireland with their four-pronged fast bowling attack of Tim Murtagh, Barry McCarthy, Boyd Rankin and Kevin O’Brien, who helped bowl out the ICC World Cricket League Championship holders, Netherlands for 149 to help script a 93-run victory in the opening match.
With the bat, Andy Balbirinie (68), William Porterfield (47), Ed Joyce (32) and Niall O’Brien (49) helped Ireland reach 268/7 off their allotted 50 overs.
The last time PNG and Ireland met in an ICC-sanctioned match was in 2016 in Townsville, Queensland, where both teams played an ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture and three T20 matches.
Ireland won the ICup fixture by 145 runs despite a brilliant century from PNG captain, Assad Vala and Ireland won the T20 series 2-1.