FRIENDS PROVIDENT TROPHY GROUP A, Stormont
Worcestershire 180-8 beat Ireland 128-9 by 52 runs(Worcs 2pts, Ireland 0pts)

Steven Davies top-scored for Worcestershire in Belfast

Worcestershire overcame the Belfast rain to register a 52-run FP Trophy win over Ireland at Stormont.

In a rain-reduced 33-over match, Worcs made 180-8, keeper Steven Davies top scoring with 47 from 56 balls.

But, on not the easiest of tracks, pacemen Gareth Andrew and Ashley Noffke then put the brakes on, conceding just 12 runs from the first eight overs.

And, after slumping to 43-5, Ireland managed just 128-9, Paul Stirling's 51 offering the only real resistance.

Worcestershire got off to a flier after the late start (1345 BST), with Davies and skipper Vikram Solanki adding 53 in the first 10 overs.

By contrast, Ireland struggled to get it off the square in their first 10 overs.

With Kabir Ali absent following his hamstring injury, Solanki used eight bowlers, four of them spinners.

That included a rare over from himself which saw him pick up the key wicket of Stirling, who had hit Ian Fisher for three straight sixes.

Moeen Ali took 1-23 in his five overs, while Gareth Batty (2-20) and Fisher (2-42) were the key performers in mid-innings.

Kyle McAllan was the pick of the Ireland bowlers, taking 3-26 in his seven overs.

Veteran Worcestershire batsman Ben Smith did not field after dislocating a finger but he is expected to be fit to play at Headingley in the County Championship clash with Yorkshire, beginning on Tuesday.

Worcestershire are not so confident, however, about Kabir, who is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Scans have revealed that Kabir has suffered a tear to his left hamstring and the England paceman could now be out of action until the start of June.

Worcestershire are already resigned to being without Kabir's first-choice new ball partner Simon Jones for two months after he underwent further knee surgery.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Hereford and Worcester:

"The captain was very happy with the score that we got as he felt it was a good score on that wicket.

"We still had to do the job, though, and I thought that the crucial part for us was the way that the new ball pair of Ashley Noffke and Gareth Andrew bowled.

"They bowled very tightly and didn't give anything to hit while we all knew that the spin would play a big part and consequently it did.

"The results are actually better than we expected on Kabir, who has got a small tear in his left hamstring.

"It is likely to keep him out of action for four to six weeks, which should hopefully mean that for the second half of the season, we will have both Kabir and Simon Jones fresh and raring to go."

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