Ireland got their Under-19 Cricket World Cup off to the best possible start with a seven-wicket win over the USA in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Ireland skipper Philippus le Roux chose to bowl after winning the toss and it proved to be an inspired decision as Reuben Wilson struck in the very first over of the game, cleaning up USA opener Aryaman Suri with a jaffa.
Olly Riley wasn't to be left behind and soon picked the wicket of Pranav Chettipalayam with a beauty. The southpaw was cleaned up by one that jagged in and hit his bails.
Riley picked up two more in the first Powerplay as the American batters looked uncomfortable against the movement generated by the Ireland pacers. Another wicket fell to the medium pace of John McNally soon after, and USA had lost half their side with just 37 runs on the board.
It didn't take Ireland long to dislodge the remaining batters, with the American side bowled out for 105 in the 41st over. The new-ball pair of Wilson and Riley finished with three apiece.
The USA got off to the perfect start with a double strike by Arya Garg. Jordan Neill and Gavin Roulston fell when the team total was merely five. Ryan Hunter and Kian Hilton then came together for the third wicket.
They saw off the challenge of the new ball and gathered runs off the loose deliveries. Their stand of 59 runs helped Ireland cover more than half of the USA's total. After the loss of Hilton in the 14th over, skipper Le Roux joined the chase. Along with Hunter (who finished with an unbeaten 50), he helped Ireland cross the line without any further losses.
IRELAND: Jordan Neill, Ryan Hunter, Gavin Roulston, Kian Hilton(w), Philippus le Roux(c), Macdara Cosgrave, John McNally, Harry Dyer, Carson McCullough, Oliver Riley, Reuben Wilson, Scott MacBeth, Finn Lutton, Matthew Weldon, Daniel Forkin.
USA: Prannav Chettipalayam, Aryaman Suri, Utkarsh Srivastava, Rishi Ramesh(c), Manav Nayak, Amogh Arepally(w), Parth Patel, Bhavya Mehta, Siddarth Kappa, Rayaan Bhagani, Khush Bhalala, Ateendra Subramanian, Aaryan Batra, Arya Garg, Aarin Nadkarni.