McCallan spins his magic in Ireland’s Euro victory

NEITHER Scotland nor the rain could prevent Ireland winning the European Championship and retaining their crown at Clontarf yesterday after Kyle McCallan had produced one of the great spells of one-day bowling.

The veteran off-spinner, playing his 194th game for Ireland, claimed figures of three for 10 from seven overs to restrict Scotland to 152 for nine and, chasing a revised target of 128 from 27 overs, the champions romped home with seven wickets and 19 balls to spare.

McCallan must have despaired as Ireland’s wayward opening attack, allied to shoddy fielding, leaked 56 runs from the first eight overs but his introduction shortly after spelt the end of Scottish hopes of a first European title.

Ryan Watson, the Scotland captain, was 32-year-old McCallan’s first victim — stumped for 50 from 44 balls — and Colin Smith, so often a thorn in Irish sides fell the same way, with Niall O’Brien neatly removing the bails on both occasions.

If McCallan had fired balls through to beat the two charging batsmen, he then teased their successors with flighted deliveries that proved all but impossible to get away, and the third wicket his bowling richly deserved came by trapping Majid Haq on the back foot.

Captain William Porterfield said: “You always know what you are going to get from Kyle. He may be getting on a bit these days and have a few aches and pains but he is never going to let you down. He’s a great servant for Ireland.”

Ireland’s seam attack kept their foot on the throat with Peter Connell, Alex Cusack and Andre Botha all taking two wickets. It seemed only the rain that arrived after seven overs of Ireland’s reply, could deny a comfortable victory.

But the clouds cleared, umpires Paul Baldwin and Billy Bowden quickly got the players back on the field, and a third wicket partnership of 77 between Gary Wilson and Botha put the outcome beyond doubt.

Wilson completed his first one-day half-century for Ireland from 64 balls before holing out for 51 but Botha stayed to see Kevin O’Brien complete the job with a six over midwicket.

(Ireland won toss): SCOTLAND 152-9 (35 overs) (R Watson 50, K McCallan 3-10, A Botha 2-29, A Cusack 2-31) lost to IRELAND 129-3 (23.5 overs) (G Wilson 51, Botha 47no) by seven wickets (D/L method)