IRELAND’S Intercontinental Cup crown was hanging by a thread after 81 overs of mayhem when 25 wickets fell.

At the end of the first of a scheduled four-day game Ireland were, in effect, 27 for five in their second innings and know that unless they can pull off an unlikely victory against their confident Namibian hosts, the final group game next weekend against Kenya in Nairobi will be meaningless.

The result is by no means a foregone conclusion. How could it be with the bowlers so dominant. Andre White, the first innings top scorer - although that’s not saying much, with 19 out of a total of 69 - and Trent Johnston are still in the middle and Kyle McCallan and Regan West have still to come.

At one stage, on a remarkable day, Ireland even threatened to get the first innings lead which would have ensured Ireland’s cup hopes were still alive, no matter what happened in the rest of the match. Namibia were 37 for seven in reply and Andrew White dropped a straightforward catch which would still have left the last two wickets to scramble another two runs. But, reprieved, the Namibian tail enjoyed themselves - none more so than last man Kola Burger who scored 16 from four balls and was out to the fifth with the lead an ominous 50.

When Niall O’Brien played, arguably, the worst shot of the day - and he had a few rivals - pulling his third ball of the second innings straight to mid-wicket it looked as if w e could be heading for a result in one day!

Alex Cusack, too high at No 3, was out half an hour later for an unconvincing four, but then Ireland enjoyed their best period of the day. William Porterfield and Andre Botha, at the 13th time of asking, managed to take a partnership past 20 and when Botha called for a quick single, he didn’t make and 57 for two became 66 for five as Kevin O’Brien, unluckily adjudged leg before, and the captain followed in quick succession.

Again, with still a possible 50 minutes left in the day - Namibia could have claimed the extra half hour - a one-day finish was a possibility but Johnston not only saw the day to its conclusion but hit two perfectly timed boundaries to give hope that all is not lost today.

So why did so many wickets fall? It certainly wasn’t the pitch. Porterfield lost the toss but he was going to bat first anyway. Yes, the bowlers bowled well and early breakthroughs do, invariably, cause panic. The ball was moving around but there were too many ‘one-day’ shots when patience was required, bringing back memories of the batting at Clontarf against Scotland in 2004, Ireland’s last defeat in the Intercontinental Cup. Their 12-match unbeaten run in the competition has never been so threatened.

There was a symmetry about the three scores at the end of each session. At lunch Ireland were 64 for eight, with only White, who hit the solitary six of the day, keeping his head above t he parapet, but Ireland’s response was heroic and Namibia took tea at the precarious 69 for eight. Even both first innings lasted 28.3 overs.

Ireland were also grateful for 10 no balls, the third highest score in their first attempt, although Boyd Rankin, trying too hard at times, tried to repay the Namibians with five ‘four-day’ wides in his spell. Peter Connell, with four wickets, is still on course for a second 10-wicket haul in the competition although the last time Ireland played here - to win the I-C final in 2005 - it was the spinners who took seven wickets in the second innings.

Ireland must hope that history can repeat itself today, but first the last five batsmen must get enough runs to give them a chance!

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