Series ends in stalemate as Tucker heroics help Ireland prevail over USA

Tucker hit 84 off 56 balls. © Getty
Lorcan Tucker's 84 off 56 balls saved Ireland the blushes as they held onto a modest total of 150 on a batting deck in Fort Lauderdale. USA agonizingly fell 9 runs short to seal their maiden T20I series win against a full member cricketing nation. USA were on top for a majority of the game as Ireland failed to bat out their stipulated overs, but a refreshed and enterprising approach in batsmanship ensured the Irish had just about enough runs in the kitty for their bowlers to spoil USA's party.

Ireland win the battle of power plays

Put into bat by USA, Ireland racked up 59 in the powerplay after being 2 down for 20. Both Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie were back in the hut by the second over but that did not deter Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher to steal the initiative back from USA. Unlike the previous game, Tucker wasted no time in getting his eye in as he flew off the blocks on his first delivery with a neatly timed flick for four off Saurabh Netravalkar. He treated Ali Khan with equal disdain, tonking him for a six and a four which derailed Khan for the entire game. With able support from a pugnacious Curtis Campher, Tucker optimally utilized the powerplay before USA could spread out the field.

On the other hand, USA had to be content with a meek showing in the power play with only 34 on the board for the loss of one wicket. The decision to open with teenager Ritwik Behera clearly backfired as the youngster failed to get the ball off the square and looked short of options. Behera ended the powerplay with 13 off 18 deliveries, before bowing out with 16 off 22. The sluggish approach thwarted USA's charge as they could never get ahead of the asking rate in their entire innings.

Ireland got bowled out though?

Ireland were put on a spin trial by USA captain Monank Patel after the powerplay. He used the spin trio of Nisarg Patel, debutant Viraj Vaghela and Yasir Mohammad to apply the brakes on a rampaging Ireland. Mohammad made Campher lob one straight to long-on immediately after the power play. Apart from Tucker, none of the Irish batsmen showed signs of fighting it out in the middle in unfamiliar conditions. Shane Gatekete and Neil Rock departed in quick succession trying to force the issue as USA spinners stifled the Irish. The wicket of Rock triggered a collapse which had a resolute Tucker run out of partners before he fell as the final wicket in the 19th over.

How good was Tucker?

Easily Ireland's best batter in the series, Tucker followed up his half century albeit in a losing cause with a swashbuckling innings. Tucker seized the momentum from ball one and eked out 6 boundaries in his first 17 deliveries, contrary to the way he played himself in the previous game. He looked busy at the crease unlike the rest of the Irish batters after the end of the fielding restrictions. Tucker unleashed himself on Ali Khan in the 18th over as the latter kept on missing his attempted yorkers which were duly dispatched from his hitting arc.

Did USA fight?

USA tried hard to give some impetus to the chase after a dismal powerplay, Monank Patel chipped in with 26 off 27 balls but the asking rate kept mounting. USA were further stymied by an umpiring howler that saw the hero of the previous game Gajanand Singh being adjudged LBW unfairly just after he clubbed a couple of boundaries. Sushant Modani pumped some life into the game with 2 sixes in 3 deliveries off Campher to bring the equation down to 29 off 16 deliveries. However, Campher ran riot in the next 4 deliveries to bag 3 wickets. USA went down but not without a fight.

Brief scores: Ireland 150 in 18.5 overs (Lorcan Tucker 84; Saurabh Netravalkar 3-33, Vatsal Vaghela 2-16) beat USA 141/7 in 20 overs (Sushant Modani 27; Curtis Campher 4-25) by 9 runs