An opening wicket partnership of 104 from New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder and Rob Nicol downed Ireland in the penultimate Twenty20 World Cup warm-up match in Guyana on Tuesday night.
Ryder plundered 64 off just 30 balls, including five sixes, while Nicol added a more leisurely 31 off 30 deliveries.
Martin Guptill maintained the scoring rate by reaching 50 off 35 balls, a knock which included three six hits as the Black Cats reached 187-5 off 20 overs.
In response, Ireland could manage just 147, with captain William Porterfield top-scoring with 34.
Phil Simmons’s side take on Afghanistan in a final warm-up outing at Guyana’s Providence Stadium this evening (Wednesday) before opening their World Cup campaign against hosts West Indies also in the same arena on Friday night.
Fancy a bit more cricket? For an in-depth interview with Ireland star Niall O’Brien, click here.
