Paul Stirling's 177 sets up Ireland win over Canada

ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, Toronto:
Ireland 325-8 (50 ovs) beat Canada 233 (46.3) by 92 runs
Match scorecard

Paul Stirling produced a superb knock for Ireland

Paul Stirling hit a record Ireland one-day international score of 177 as the visitors defeated Canada by 92 runs in Toronto to draw the two-match series.

Stirling's huge knock helped the Irish post 325-8 and in reply, the hosts were all out for 233 in the 47th over.

The 20-year-old struck 21 fours and five sixes as he hit his maiden ODI century and beat Kevin O'Brien's previous Irish best of 142.

Albert van der Merwe was top Irish bowler with five wickets.

Van der Merwe's figures of 5 for 49 from his 10 overs included the dismissal of Canada's top scorer Ruvindu Gunasekera, who hit 59.

Captain Ashish Bagai, who hit 44, was also snared by van der Merwe.

Kevin O'Brien, Trent Johnston and Andrew White also took wickets.

While Stirling was very much the star of the show in Ireland's innings, Andrew Poynter (30), Andre Botha (28), John Mooney (25) and Nigel Jones (25) also contributed valuable runs.

The victory levelled the two-match series after the Canadians edged out the Irish in Monday's clash by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.