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Cricket season has arrived early for six up and comers on the New Zealand cricket scene.Kyle Mills, a recovering TelstraClear Black Cap, Jamie How, Jeetan Patel, Shanan Stewart, Rob Nicol and Joseph Yovich, have been called into the New Zealand Academy side to travel to Townsville for a Southern Hemisphere cricket academies tournament.The team leaves on Wednesday next week and will play two three-day games against each of the Australian and South African Academies and two one-day games with each.Bangladesh was to have been involved as well but it withdrew from the tournament.The extra players have been required because only eight males (Jesse Ryder, Jordan Sheed, Stuart Mills, Iain Robertson, Mark Gillespie, Gareth Shaw, James McMillan and Ian Sandbrook) were included in the Academy intake this year, and also to ensure the bowling workloads are not too heavy on the Academy players.That suits Mills and Yovich especially. Mills is coming back after injury and has already gone to Darwin to get some preliminary match play under his belt.Yovich has been working at the High Performance Centre at Lincoln University with New Zealand Cricket’s player development manager Ashley Ross in the off-season on some technical aspects of his bowling which needed to be tested out in a playing environment.The series of games are a chance for Academy coaches to assess and analyse the players and to work with them when they return to Lincoln.

Whangarei produced one of its beautiful days today, a light breeze easing the heat under cloud-speckled blue skies. Unfortunately, it did not produce any cricket.Persistent rain over the previous day and a half coupled with high humidity meant that the covers could not protect the pitch and surrounds for this eighth-round Shell Trophy Northern Districts-Canterbury match from producing a tropical microclimate. It left the pitch soft and strategic points on the bowlers’ run ups like sponges.Early inspections immediately ruled out the morning session. A further umpires’ inspection at lunch moved the next decision-time back to 2.30pm when another session of pressing into the bare patches on the pitch and scuffing the run-ups, particularly at the Okara Park end, put the decision off until 3.30pm.At that point, the captains reached mutual agreement that it was in their best interests to allow the drying process to continue for the rest of the day and return to make a fresh start tomorrow. The toss was clearly the key. Neither would have been interested in either subjecting their top order to a searching couple of hours on an interesting pitch or, alternatively, their pacemen to unsafe bowling conditions.So, in the late afternoon, the ground was left to bake in glorious sunshine, disturbed only by Canterbury players going through their fielding practice routines.Weather permitting, the match will get underway tomorrow at 10.30am.

A defiant three and a half hour innings by Adrian Dale, supported by apugnacious 31 from Alex Wharf thwarted Kent as Glamorgan ended a rain-affected second day on 177 for 8 in their Championship match in Swansea.Kent`s hopes of making early inroads were dampened by a combination ofdrizzle and mist, which prevented a start from being made until 3pm. Whenplay eventually began, Adrian Shaw clipped the first ball from MartinSaggers to the fine leg boundary for four, and the Glamorgan wicket-keepercontinued to punish any loose deliveries, hitting two more boundaries inSaggers` fourth over.This flurry of runs prompted Kent captain Matthew Fleming to introduce BenTrott into the attack, and it proved a shrewd decision, as with his fifthdelivery Trott dismissed Shaw when the Glamorgan wicket-keeper edged arising delivery into the hands of David Fulton at second slip.Then in his next over, Trott nearly claimed a second wicket as Robert Croftedged a ball through the hands of third slip for four. But after this earlyscare, the England off-spinner played himself in, and twice straight droveTrott to the Mumbles Road boundary.Adrian Dale continued to play watchfully at the other end, having earlieralso punished some loose bowling from Saggers. But the introduction ofPatel`s left-arm spin slowed the scoring rate, and with Patel extractingsome lavish spin at times from the dry Swansea wicket, the Glamorganvice-captain adopted a cautious approach.In the third over after tea Croft was bowled off his pads by a slower ballfrom Fleming. But Dale then found a useful ally in Alex Wharf, who was sooninto his stride, twice on-driving the Kent bowlers to the boundary, inaddition to an exquisite cover drive off Saggers.The pair had added an invaluable 55 in 19 overs when Wharf was bowled byPatel, attempting another blow off the back foot. It was the left-arm spinner who eventually ended Dale`s stubborn resistance, as the Glamorgan vice-captain got a thick edge to a ball and was caught at slip by Fulton.In the closing overs, Darren Thomas rode his luck and played a few lustyblows to leave Glamorgan 75 runs in arrears.

Heavyweight performances from Habib Bank Limited’s (HBL) Pakistan players helped them crush United Bank Limited (UBL) by 251 runs in Rawalpindi. Younis Khan scored a second-innings century to set UBL a challenging target, after which Umar Gul’s five-wicket haul dismissed them for 177.UBL won the toss and put HBL in, and Rumman Raees took 5 for 70 to dismiss them for 193. Raees took the top five wickets while Kashif Bhatti and Shabbir Ahmed shared the remaining five. Wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat was HBL’s top-scorer with 79, while no one else made more than 30.UBL’s batsmen, however, were unable to consolidate the advantage their bowlers had earned and collapsed for 141. No. 3 batsman Imran Ali scored at unbeaten 50 and eight of his team-mates were dismissed in single digits. Ehsan Adil claimed 4 for 28 while Umar Gul and Abdul Ameer took two each.Having taken a lead of 52, HBL had nearly doubled that in their second innings but lost quick wickets to slip to 78 for 3. Younis, however, anchored one end with 133, and half-centuries from Usman Salahuddin and Farhat helped them reach 376 for 8, when they declared. Shabbir was the pick of UBL’s bowlers, with 4 for 100.Chasing 429 to win, UBL lost three wickets for 16 runs to slump to 65 for 3 and there was no coming back. Gul ran through the line-up, taking 5 for 42, and UBL were dismissed in the 71st over.Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) overcame a first-innings deficit and dismissed State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) cheaply in the second innings to set up a four-wicket victory in Islamabad.SBP, after losing the toss, were comfortably placed in the first innings, reaching 238 for 3 on the back to strong top-order contributions. Sohail Tanvir began the ZTBL fightback and took 7 for 61 as SBP were dismissed for 298. Saad Altaf, however, took 6 for 71 for SBP, to help dismiss ZTBL for 239, 59 runs in deficit. Imran Nazir’s 72-ball 63 was the innings’ top score.SBP were unable to build significantly on their lead, with Tanvir taking 4 for 25 in the second innings to finish with 11 in the match. Mohammad Khalil took 5 for 48 as SBP were skittled for 140, setting ZTBL a target of 200.ZTBL’s chase wasn’t easy, though. They were 70 for 1 and then slipped to 117 for 5, with Kashif Siddiq taking 4 for 32. Haris Sohail, however, scored a half-century to steady the chase and ZTBL achieved the target in the 43rd over.Port Qasim Authority (PQA) beat Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) by six wickets by chasing a target of 82 on the final day in in Rawalpindi.After choosing to field, PQA’s bowlers took the early advantage by reducing KRL to 146 for 5, but a lower-order rally, led by wicketkeeper Zulfiqar Jan’s half-century, led KRL to 289. Mohammad Talha and Ahmed Jamal took three wickets each as KRL were dismissed in the 93rd over.Khurram Manzoor was rock solid at one end, during PQA’s reply, but the support he received from his team-mates was brittle. Manzoor scored 152 but the next highest contributor to PQA’s first-innings score of 344 was extras with 39. Manzoor helped PQA take a lead of 55 before they were dismissed in 93.1 overs.KRL’s second innings began poorly, and they were struggling at 8 for 2. The middle-order batsmen got starts but failed to convert them and the innings folded in 34 overs. Tanvir Ahmed took 4 for 37, while Azam Hussain claimed 3 for 39, as KRL were dismissed for 136.PQA lost early wickets during the chase but the target of 82 was always within reach. They got there in 22 overs.A century from Ali Waqas and five-wicket hauls from Asad Ali and Samiullah Khan underpinned Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited’s (SNGPL) 143-run win against Pakistan Internationals Airlines (PIA) in Lahore.Having lost the toss, SNGPL lost two wickets with the score on 29, before Waqas came in at No. 4 and played a steadying hand. He made 105 out of a total of 234. Anwar Ali, with 5 for 66, and Shoaib Malik, who claimed 4 for 49, were PIA’s most successful bowlers.Asad Ali led the rout of PIA in their first innings. He took 5 for 39, cutting through the PIA middle order and helping rout them for 101 in the 36th over. Samiullah Khan took 3 for 35, as SNGPL took a lead of 133.Waqas top scored for SNGPL in their second innings as well, making 64 to lead them to 145 for 5 before they declared. The target for PIA was 279 but they were shot out for 135, with Samiullah taking 5 for 36 and Asad Ali 3 for 51.

A thrilling day’s cricket at Sabina Park left England A in a strong position against Jamaica with more valuable first innings points in the bag and everything to play for.The climax came in the session before tea when England A, needing 175 to claim more Busta Cup points, suffered a middle order collapse. From 140 for four, they lost four quick wickets but with the very last ball before the interval, Chris Silverwood produced a perfectly executed square drive which sent the ball rattling to the boundary and brought the scores level.Two wickets remained but there was still a hint of uncertainty after Jamaica’s bowlers, most notably Gareth Breese and Courtney Walsh, swept away any confidence in an increasingly frail batting order to take the upper hand.Every wicket that fell was met by a frenzied reaction from the 700 strong crowd, giving the atmosphere a one-day feel to it as a battle for points was waged ruthlessly in the middle.

When Usman Afzaal, the Nottinghamshire left-hander who brought a sensible head to a difficult situation after the early loss of key batsman John Crawley, lost his footing and was stumped after making an attractive 39, the pressure was on England A’s lower order to see them over the final hurdle.With the experience of Mark Alleyne at one end, the job of Chris Read and Graeme Swann was to get their heads down and let their skipper ease them through.But neither batsman rose to the challenge, the out-of-form Read spooning a ball from Breese carelessly to mid off and Swann, who was making his debut in the Busta Cup, looking raw after a four month break from first-class cricket following the end of the English season.Walsh was brought back on to unsettle the steady Alleyne and the ploy worked wonders as the England A skipper attempted to hook him but failed to get behind the shot and instead skied a catch to Franklyn Rose at fine leg.It was at that point with the score on 161 for eight and 14 runs still needed, that the nerves started to jangle and until tea, each single was met with almost inaudible applause from a small band of England supporters sitting in the George Headley stand.Silverwood and Jon Lewis stayed calm and by the time the Yorkshireman fell, they had passed the magic figure, Lewis pushing a single to claim six crucial points.The innings was wrapped up for 188 in 85.2 overs but the confidence England A took from gaining the lead was immediately transferred into their bowling effort and after a predictable spurt from Jamaica’s opening pair of Leon Garrick and Chris Gayle which saw 61 runs added in 16 overs, the first strike was made.Ryan Sidebottom, who bowled well in the first innings for his 5-31, found the edge of Garrick’s bat and Vikram Solanki took his 18th catch of the tour just centimetres from the ground.The triumph gave the attack extra impetus and in the next over, an lbw appeal against Keith Hibbert produced the right result for Swann before the batsman had got off the mark.At stumps, Jamaica were 70 for two, leading England A by 56 runs but Gayle was still there on 39. On a pitch which has proved the fastest England A have seen so far in the Busta Cup, a fascinating third day is in store with the visitors needing quick wickets if they are to set up their second victory in the tournament.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were the stars, but India’s win was not big enough•Associated Press

South Africa have had a few of their parties cruelly crashed by teams world over, but today they spoiled India’s when it was only a small gathering. Having been knocked out of the World Twenty20 because Pakistan beat Australia, South Africa won the toss India wanted to win most, kept India down to 152, and passed 121, ensuring India would be eliminated from the tournament on net run rate.India would have loved to chase and know what they needed to do with the bat to push their net run rate of -0.452 over Pakistan’s 0.273, who are now through to the semi-final. However, batting first, all India could hope of doing was set up a huge total and try to win by a margin of around 30. South Africa’s bowling, though, was too strong to clobber.It was not all fun and games for South Africa either. Faf du Plessis laid bare the flaws in their strategy in the games leading up to their final inconsequential match. Watching du Plessis score a fluent 65 off 38, South Africa’s think tank would have felt a surge of mixed emotions. After du Plessis got out, all but ensuring India’s ouster, that think tank would have watched in horror as the last five wickets fell for 24 runs and South Africa lost by one run. Another heartbreaking loss ended arguably their worst campaign at a World Cup, across formats. It was Gary Kirsten’s ninth defeat in nine matches as coach in World Twenty20 Super Eights.

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• When South Africa reached 122, it ensured that Pakistan would be the fourth team in the semi-finals. Pakistan became the only team to make the semi-finals of each of the four World Twenty20 tournaments.

• India’s win is their fifth in seven Twenty20 internationals against South Africa. India have also won three of the four meetings between the two teams in the World Twenty20.

• The win is the eighth by a margin of one run in Twenty20 internationals and the first for India. It is the third such win in World Twenty20 matches.

• Faf du Plessis’ strike rate during his 65 (171.05) is the second-highest for South Africa in World Twenty20 matches (50-plus scores only). The highest is 232.35 by AB de Villiers, during his 79 against Scotland in 2009.

• Zaheer Khan’s 3 for 22 is his second-best bowling performance in Twenty20 internationals. His best (4 for 19) also came in the World Twenty20, in 2009 against Ireland.

The scenes towards the end were in contrast to the ones seen after the day’s first match at the venue. After that game, both Australia – assured of semi-final qualification – and Pakistan – very close to it – went off smiling, never mind the actual result. Both India and South Africa were dejected, never mind the result.After their innings, however, India had given themselves a decent chance of staying alive, thanks to a Suresh Raina-led recovery from 36 for 3. Around Raina, Yuvraj Singh hit 21 off 15 in the middle overs to boost India, and the finishing touches were provided by MS Dhoni, who squeezed out an unbeaten 23 off 13 in his unorthodox way.India’s openers looked too keen to hit, and fell inside the Powerplay. Morne Morkel’s disconcerting length got Gautam Gambhir to play on. Virender Sehwag hit Robin Peterson for a six, but swung all around an even slower delivery to lose his off stump the next ball. In between those wickets, Virat Kohli was dismissed, strangled down the leg side by Jacques Kallis.Yuvraj then displayed the silken touch he had before he left the game with illness, lofting two of the better-timed sixes. He got too ambitious, though, trying to whip a full Morkel delivery from the off-stump line and was bowled. Rohit Sharma once again scored a disappointing 25 off 27 before falling lbw to a poor sweep.Raina, though, looked good right from the start, and played good-looking extra-cover drives to give India some momentum. Dhoni joined him with brute power, and the two combined to take an even 40 off the last four overs. Given the way their spinners have performed in the tournament, India would have entertained thoughts of the improbable, but they bowled six overs of seam at the top of the innings.They took two early wickets when South Africa were tentative, but once the industrious du Plessis began charging at Zaheer and Irfan, the zing was lost. Yuvraj revived India’s hopes with a wicket first ball, but du Plessis was batting on a different plane. Every shot he played seemed to yield results, and the odd mis-hit would find a way to go for couples. India’s fielding didn’t help.Once du Plessis fell with the score at 95 for 4 in the 13th over, though, India were hoping for one of those infamous South African collapses. And they were just hoping, which showed in the defensive fields and Ashwin being kept for three overs out of the last seven, when there was practically nothing left to play for.The collapse arrived, but it was too late for India. In the 17th over, with wickets falling, South Africa reached 122, much to the joy of the thousands of Pakistan supporters in the ground.The game took a surreal turn after that. So close run it was, yet so devoid of edge. It came down to 14 required off the last over. Balaji bowled length; Albie Morkel smacked him for six, and was bowled next ball. Albie’s younger brother Morne was the No. 11. He got a long hop from Balaji, and deposited it in the stands. India were about to lose this one, this was to be a dreadful evening for them. However, the final mistake was South Africa’s, and Morne Morkel missed a straight length ball and was bowled.

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, who took all three wickets to fall before rain stopped play on the second afternoon, has said that if Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson fell early on the third day, the probability of a Bangladesh lead could not be ruled out. New Zealand are still trailing by 175 runs in their first innings with seven wickets in hand.Williamson, on 28 off 38 balls, had retired hurt after suffering a blow to the face off a Rubel Hossain bouncer in the 24th over. However, he returned to the crease seven overs later, when Brendon McCullum’s fell. His partner Taylor had a far smoother innings and was unbeaten on 37.”We have to take the wickets of the two batsmen at the crease,” Shakib said. “They do have batsmen after this, but because one is the vice-captain and the other a senior player, it is very important to get their wickets as soon as possible.”Everything is possible if we get them out early. Even 200 is a possibility. However if I speak realistically, then if we can keep them within 300, which is very much possible, it will be an evenly-matched contest.”Shakib was firm in his belief that a result was possible on this pitch. According to curator Gamini de Silva, it is expected to assist the spinners in the coming days, provided there was no further rain.”I think if the next three days are played completely, there will be a result in this match,” Shakib said. “I’ve head from the curator that the wicket will get more difficult as the day goes on. It should spin a lot more from day three, so in that case it will be more difficult for both the teams to score and there is a good possibility for a result.”Bangladesh had begun strongly, with the top order making useful contributions, but tactless shot selection allowed New Zealand back in the game by the end of the first day’s play. Neil Wagner’s maiden five-wicket haul ensured the advantage remained with his side as Bangladesh were bowled out for 282 on the second morning.”There weren’t too many batsmen remaining after Mushfiq and Nasir got out”, Shakib said. “The lower order had arrived so it wasn’t possible to score too many runs. I didn’t see too much of a problem [with our score]. On this wicket, 300-350 is a good score.”Shakib was happy with his own bowling but asked the rest of the attack to step up in order to give Bangladesh the upper hand. Slow left-armer Abdur Razzak struggled with his accuracy while Sohag Gazi’s offspin was confidently dealt with by New Zealand’s openers.

Bangladesh’s vice-captain, Mahmudullah is expected to get an extended run and retain his place in Bangladesh’s 14-man squad for the first Test against New Zealand, which starts on October 9 in Chittagong. The allrounder has had a horrid run in the last two Test series and was dropped from the second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare.Paceman Al-Amin Hossain and batsman Marshall Ayub are also tipped to be in the squad, while opener Anamul Haque is likely to return after missing the Zimbabwe tour due to college exams.Mahmudullah’s place would have been in doubt after he scored 34 runs in his last six Test innings, but he has three factors working in his favour: his ODI form is relatively better, he provides assurance as a senior batsman at No. 8, and he can make up for the lack of experience created by the absence of Mohammad Ashraful. For a team that lacks international experience and will grasp any form it has available, a turnaround in Mahmudullah’s Test fortunes would come in handy.In six ODIs this year, Mahmudullah has scored 177 runs at an average of 44.25. In 2012, he averaged 70.66, and was instrumental in Bangladesh’s ODI series win over West Indies. In the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division, he has led Gazi Tank Cricketers, but has only scored 81 runs in three innings. In Test cricket, his unusual batting position at No. 8 has yielded surprising results – in 16 innings, he has scored a century and four fifties and averaged 42.21.At the top of the order, Anamul is likely to return and partner Tamim Iqbal at the cost of Jahurul Islam, who worked hard to get runs in Sri Lanka but couldn’t reach any milestones. Bangladesh would have benefited from Jahurul’s presence, because he complements Tamim’s aggression, but it is likely that Anamul will beat Jahurul to the second opener’s slot.There will also be a battle for Nos. 3 and 4 in the batting line-up and it is likely that the selectors and the team management will look to Marshall Ayub and Naeem Islam to fill these places. Both are right-handed batsmen, with Naeem having had success recently before being sidelined by injury.In the first Test against the West Indies last year, Naeem scored Bangladesh’s first century at No 4 since Aminul Islam’s 144 in the inaugural Test 12 years ago. But he picked up a groin injury during the Bangladesh Premier League in January and missed the tours to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Marshall, on the other hand, has been scoring plenty of runs in the domestic scene in the last 18 months. He has notched up six centuries at different levels and was a part of the Test squad in Sri Lanka, although he didn’t get a game.The next three batting positions, occupied by captain Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain, are settled. The only other concern is the fitness of the pace bowlers Robiul Islam (hamstring injury) and Rubel Hossain (muscle stiffness); Al-Amin is a expected to be a back-up in the attack. Robiul, who was man-of-the-series in the Test series in Zimbabwe, and Rubel are expected to recover in time for the first Test.Offspinner Sohag Gazi, the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in 2012-13, will once again be playing second fiddle to Shakib Al Hasan. He would be expected to take the bowling load, although there has been talk of Gazi taking it easy at training for his Dhaka Premier Division club, Prime Doleshwar SC. His form, however, remains encouraging and can test the visitors.

Perth is the major casualty of Australia’s truncated 2014-15 Test summer, stripped of its annual match for the first time since 1976-77. Only four Tests are scheduled for a season in which India will visit, due mainly to the fixturing squeeze created by the 2015 World Cup, and the nation’s two smallest and youngest major grounds in Perth and Hobart have been left off the Test calendar.The decision has provoked an outraged response from the Western Australia Cricket Association, while the host broadcaster Channel Nine is also likely to be nonplussed about losing the one Test match of the summer it can screen in prime time to the populous eastern states, due to Perth’s more westerly time zone. However it was always likely that Perth would miss out on the match due to concerns about the ground’s facilities and size relative to its main rivals Brisbane and Adelaide.While Bellerive Oval has never been a nailed-on venue, the WACA ground has invariably provided blood and thunder Test cricket, due to its uniquely fast and bouncy pitch. India were rounded up by an innings and 37 runs well inside three days in Perth in January 2012. Other considerations outlined by the CA chief executive James Sutherland included the strong claims of other grounds. Adelaide Oval’s $535 million redevelopment will be complete in time for the series, while the Gabba has traditionally been host to the first Test of the summer and has consistently drawn larger crowds to its matches than Perth.The WACA’s size, a history of spotty attendances and facilities lagging behind other grounds have detracted from its standing among international venues, despite its lively pitch and a time zone more favourable to television audiences both in India and on the east coast of Australia. CA’s verdict also maintains a longstanding tradition of “last in, first out” among venues – Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane all boasting of longer Test traditions than Perth.”Though a traditional Test match venue with a proud history, the WACA ground has the smallest capacity of the five mainland Test venues and has historically attracted lower attendances,” Sutherland said. “The WACA has been working hard to improve the facilities for its fans but it still requires significant improvements.”Although the WACA has missed out on a Test match, they will play host to up to four limited-overs matches in the 2014-15 season that will see South Africa tour in a limited-overs series in November, as well as India and England competing in a tri-series in January prior to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup.”Christina Matthews, the WACA chief executive, expressed her deep disappointment at the WACA’s reduced allocation for 2014-15. “Whilst CA will provide additional limited-overs matches to replace the Test match, there is no compensation for losing a Test,” she said. “The on-going effect this loss will have on the WACA and cricket in Western Australia will be devastating. We will continue talks with CA and will be seeking an understanding from them of all the elements behind the decision.”Apart from Adelaide and Brisbane, the other party most likely to be pleased by the decision are India’s cricketers. Save for a victory on an uncharacteristic WACA ground surface in 2008, India have struggled in Perth, and the green-tinged 2012 pitch is known to have been chief among the motivators for the retaliatory dustbowls prepared for Australia’s visit to India earlier this year.”One goes back to the Perth Test where the wicket was green and we played to our strengths and won the Test in two and a half days,” Australia’s former coach Mickey Arthur said last month. “They clearly wanted retribution for that and produced some of the toughest conditions I’d ever seen. They went out of their way to prepare those conditions and I can’t argue with that.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTim Murtagh’s late hitting stole the match for Ireland•Getty Images

Three days after a brilliant spell of bowling nearly shocked England in Malahide, Tim Murtagh delivered with the bat to serve a big blow to Scotland’s chances of qualifying for the 2015 World Cup.Murtagh slugged a six and a four when nine were needed from three balls to squeeze Ireland home for a one-wicket victory in Belfast. The defeat means Scotland cannot now finish in the top two of the World Cricket League Championship and must now wait for the qualifying tournament for the chance to book a place in Australia and New Zealand.Having made 269 for 7 against England earlier in the week, Ireland were fancied to chase 224 but their middle order stumbled badly after a bright start. Murtagh arrived at the wicket with 15 needed from nine balls but he and George Dockrell could only manage singles from the next six deliveries.But with boundaries required, Murtagh found his touch and blasted left-arm seamer Rob Taylor over long-off for six to leave three needed in two balls. He put the next delivery through point to seal victory.Ireland had been in big trouble. William Porterfield continued his excellent form with a half-century and added 95 for the first wicket with Paul Stirling to put the pursuit on course. But they then coughed up four wickets for 17 runs in six overs as Majid Haq’s offspin picked up three wickets.Finally Trent Johnston and Max Sorensen settled things and got the chase moving again with six boundaries between them but Johnston fell with 44 still remaining. Sorensen and Murtagh managed to bring the requirement down to 17 from the final two overs but Sorensen fell trying to swing Machan out of the ground. The requirement looked beyond Ireland until Murtagh’s late hitting.It was a bitter disappointment for Scotland who had looked on course to take the first game in the two-match series, which will be followed by a four-day Intercontinental Cup game. Preston Mommsen’s unbeaten 91 gave them a solid total.He was by far the standout performance of the Scotland innings. His 122-ball stay included 10 fours and held the innings together. The next highest score was 27 as they failed to find significant partnerships. Matt Machan made that second-top score from only 25 balls but more was asked of him in the absence of Kyle Coezter.George Dockrell tore through the middle order, finishing with 4 for 24 as Scotland were kept well within range. But Safyaan Sharif’s late burst of 26 in 25 balls bumped Scotland up to a competitive total.