Half-centuries from Stephen Doheny and Lorcan Tucker and a cameo from Mark Adair delayed the inevitable for Ireland before they slid to defeat by an innings and 79 runs against New Zealand.  They had begun the third day on 65 for 2, following on with two more days to play and trailing by 246 runs.

They were bowled out for 232 in their second innings, with Blair Tickner hastening New Zealand’s march to victory with his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Temperatures finally dropped below 20 degrees Celsius in Belfast – signalling respite from a heat wave in the region – and rain brought an early end to the first session. By then, Ireland had been reduced to 131 for 5.

Nathan Smith – who had taken a six-for in the first innings – plucked out nightwatcher Thomas Mayes within the first five overs of play. A full inswinger had Mayes edging to second slip. At the other end, opener Doheny, who resumed on 26, was nimble-footed in response to early swing.

Despite the overhead clouds, Smith from one end and Tickner from the other bowled with a short-ball plan in mind. The strategy paid dividends when Tickner picked up his third wicket of the innings, in the 26th over: he angled a bouncer into Harry Tector’s shoulders, and he ducked into the ball, which pinged off his bat handle to second slip.

More concerning for Ireland was Curtis Campher retiring hurt on 4, another consequence of a bouncer. He had been struggling against the short deliveries when one reared up and pinged his left hand. He had to walk off for scans, and Ireland played with one batter down thereafter.

Doheny was the third consecutive batter to walk off after facing a snorter; he fended at a Tickner short delivery, and gloved it to gully shortly before the end of the first session.

When New Zealand walked out for the second session, the clouds had partially cleared, and the Dukes ball’s swing had dissipated. New Zealand shuffled their fielders out to pack the off side, and Lorcan Tucker took full toll of deliveries outside off.

Tucker pinged drives away from his body, and evaded the short balls that came his way, bringing up his fifty off 69 deliveries. However, any hopes of an Ireland rearguard disappeared when he fell off his next ball. He swung across the line at another bouncer and miscued it over the keeper’s head, straight to Daryl Mitchell running in from the slips.

Adair, slotting in at No. 9, played with panache thereafter. He had his own solution to Tickner and Zak Foulkes directing bouncers at his grille: he kept shuffling into the leg side to make room for cross-batted swats, over the relatively vacant midwicket boundary.

Eventually, this run-scoring option slowed when the bowlers either angled their bouncers into the leg side, or aimed yorkers at his feet. He still raced away to an unbeaten 44 off 47 – Ireland’s quickest knock in this Test by far.

The game came to a belated end when Reuben Wilson was the last batter out, stuck in his crease as he wafted at a delivery outside off, and edged it to the keeper. Tickner completed his five-for with this wicket, and New Zealand seald a dominant win with four sessions to spare.

They now head to London, where they will prepare to face England in a three-Test contest. Ireland, meanwhile, wait for India to arrive on their shores at the end of June for a T20I series.

Brief scores:
New Zealand 490 for 8 dec  in 119 overs (Rachin Ravindra 121, Tom Blundell 186,  Dean Foxcroft 98; Mark  Adair 3-66) beat Ireland 179 in 45 overs (Andy McBrine 73*, Mark Adair 40; Nathan  Smith 6-40, Ben Sears 2-27) and (f/o) 232 in 63.2 overs (Stephen Doheny 57, Lorcan Tucker 50, Mark Adair 44*; Nathan Smith 2-53, Blair Tickner 5-76) by an innings and 79 runs

[Cricinfo]

Batter V8shmi Gunaratne,   wristspinner Shashini Gimhani    and seamer Kavya Kavindi have been picked in Sri Lanka’s squad of 15 for the Women’s T20  World Cup in England starting on June 12.

Chamari Athapaththu was named captain of the team and will be representing Sri Lanka in her tenth T20 World Cup.

Rashmika Sewwandi, Dewmi Vihanga, Inoka Ranaweera were left out of the squad that played the series against Bangladesh earlier this month.

Gimhani, 17, is an ambidextrous wristspinner who has played seven T20 internationals, having made her debut as Sri Lanka’s youngest international at the age of 15.

The squad will depart for England on June 3.

Sri Lanka are in Group 2 along with England, New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland and Scotland. They play the opening game of the tournament against England at Edgbaston on June 12, followed by fixtures against New Zealand in Southampton (June 16), West Indies in Bristol (June 21), Ireland also in Bristol (June 23), and Scotland in Manchester (June 26).

The top two teams from Groups 1 and 2 qualify for the semi-finals at The Oval on June 30 and July 2. The final is on July 5 at Lord’s.

Sri Lanka squad for Women’s T20 World Cup

Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunarathne, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Sugandika Dassanayaka, Nimasha Madushani, Shashini Gimhani, Kawya Kavindi, Malki Madara, Mithali Ayodhya

(Cricinfo)

Pakistan’s most famous cheerleader “Chacha Cricket” will retire this year. The third and final ODI between Pakistan and Australia in Lahore next week will be the last time he cheers for Pakistan at home, though he is hoping to cheer them on with the Pakistani flag from the stands in England this summer, during Pakistan’s three-Test tour.

Australia’s games in Lahore mark a full circle moment of sorts for Abdul Jalil – Chacha’s real name – who first witnessed a cricket match from the stands in Lahore when England toured for a Test series in 1968-69. He became a fixture at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the 1980s and 1990s when Pakistan played there regularly and his distinct dress – the deep green kurta and cap – catapulted him into the nation’s consciousness. He quit a job in the UAE to become Pakistan’s full-time mascot and travelled to England for the 1999 World Cup to cheer for the Wasim Akram-led side, after which he became a recognisable figure through the cricket-playing world.

Now at 77, Jalil wants to realise his dream of opening a restaurant and museum on the outskirts of his hometown, Sialkot. “I will display all the memorabilia I have gathered over the years at the museum,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I had the target of cheering for Pakistan in 500 matches, which I have achieved.”

Jalil is a celebrity of sorts in Pakistan. His presence is sought at events, ranging from local tapeball matches to wedding ceremonies, and he now wants to use that for the benefit of others. “I have done everything for the sheer love of the game and my country. My mission has been to be a great ambassador of the country and make fans across the aisles happy. I am now also looking to do some welfare work after my retirement.”

Jalil had to “change three buses to reach Sharjah” from his office in Abu Dhabi to watch Pakistan play back in the day but the team’s recent deteriorating performances discouraged him from travelling to Sri Lanka for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“I witnessed Pakistan’s three consecutive defeats to India [in the Asia Cup last year]. We have now lost nine in a row to India. I did not want them to lose another match after the Asia Cup.”

But Chacha has been cheerleading long enough to remember Pakistan’s dominance over India. He reminisces about those days fondly. “I was on the ground when Javed Miandad hit Chetan Sharma for a six on the last ball [in 1986 at Sharjah],” he said. “I vividly remember Miandad hitting him over deep midwicket. The other memorable match for me was when we beat India at The Oval [in the final of the Champions Trophy] in 2017.”

But two defeats, in particular, sting him. “They could not chase 120 against India at New York [at the 2024 T20 World Cup]. I had travelled a great distance to support the team.”

The other is from the 2011 World Cup when Pakistan fell 29 runs short of India’s 260 in the semi-final at Mohali. “I took a painstaking journey for that game,” he said. “I travelled from Sri Lanka to Karachi to Sialkot and then crossed into India. We could have won that match but mistakes happen. Wins and losses are part of the game.”

Pakistan are currently going through arguably the worst phase in their cricket history. They have not won a Test away from home since 2023 and were recently beaten in a two-Test series in Bangladesh, who recorded consecutive home and away sweeps over them. They finished the most recent World Test Championship cycle at the bottom of the table and have not made it to the knockouts of the last four ICC white-ball tournaments.

Like many Pakistani fans, Chacha is disappointed, but he retains hope that a change in fortune is around the corner, recalling his slogan: Hota hay bhai hota hay, khel mein aisa hota hay, kabhi agay kabhi peechay, kabhi khushi kabhi ghum, kabhi tum, kabhi hum. [Defeat is part of the game. Sometimes you are ahead of the opponent, and at times, they are. There are moments of happiness and sorrow in it. Sometimes they will win, other times we will.]

[Cricinfo]