Tim Paine struck 81 runs and took three catches behind the stumps to help Australia to a 39-run win over Ireland in a one-day cricket international at Clontarf on Thursday.
Paine, named as wicket-keeper in the enforced absence of Brad Haddin, hit five fours and two sixes after opening the batting for the Aussies.
In an encouraging performance by the Irish, opening batsmen Paul Stirling and William Porterfield put together an 80-run stand for the first wicket but hopes of an upset quickly receded during the rest of the afternoon at the north Dublin venue.
Alex Cusack and John Mooney posed most resistance but no Irish batsman could get past 40 against an Australian attack in which medium pacer James Hopes excelled with figures of 5-14 from nine overs.
Ireland’s teenage star Stirling has earlier taken the wicket of Australian captain Ricky Ponting for 33, while all-rounder Kevin O’Brien ended the day with Ireland’s best bowling figures of 3-43 from his ten overs.
