Cusack wickets help Ireland's cricketers to victory

Alex Cusack took five wickets to give Ireland a comfortable 39-run win over Afghanistan in their ICC World Cricket League clash in Rotterdam.

The Afghanistan innings was postponed until today after heavy rain halted proceedings yesterday, withIreland having posted 237 for nine.

Cusack started the ball rolling when he removed Noor Ali for 21 before removing new man Mohammad Shahzad after just four deliveries.

George Dockrell then accounted for captain Nawroz Mangal for a duck as the Afghanistan innings slipped to 34 for three.

The innings briefly stabilised as Shabir Noor (38) and Karim Sadiq (25) moved the score to 83 but Andrew White joined the attack and duly dismissed both men.

By then Ireland were well in the ascendancy, with the reply eventually subsiding for 198 in 47.1 overs as Cusack claimed three more wickets.