Australia bundle out Ireland for 137 to clinch 42-run win

Australia bundled out Ireland for 137 and won by 42 runs in their Group 1, Super 12 match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in Brisbane on Monday, thanks to a half-century from Captain Aaron Finch and fiery bowling from bowlers.
Lorcan Tucker scored the highest for Ireland with an unbeaten 71 off 48 balls. For Australia, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa bagged two wickets each. Defending a competitive target of 180, Australia got off to a flying start as the bowlers dismissed both Ireland openers, Paul Stirling and Captain Andy Balbirnie, cheaply. Balbirnie went back to the pavilion as Pat Cummins delivered a stunning bowl to bowl out Ireland’s opener, while Glenn Maxwell removed star batter Stirling in the third over of the game.
In the same third over, Maxwell struck again as he dismissed new batter Harry Tector for 6 off 4. In the 4th over of the game, Mitchell Starc gave a double blow to Ireland as he sent Curtis Campher and George Dockrell packing, leaving Ireland tottering at 25/5. The top order of the Irish batting order was destroyed within the powerplay.
Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany hammered Starc for 14 runs in the 6th over of the innings to ease some pressure from their team. The Irish duo kept piling up runs while gathering singles at regular intervals.
However, Delany could not stand long on the ground as he was dismissed by Marcus Stoinis after scoring 14 runs off 10 deliveries. Tucker opened his hands and slammed Starc for 12 runs in the 12th over of the innings.
Adam Zampa then gave Ireland another blow as he removed Mark Adair for 11 off 11 in the 13th over of the innings. After this, Ireland kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The right-handed batter, Barry McCarthy, then came to bat in the crease.
Tucker brought up his half-century with a 98m six off the delivery of Josh Hazlewood in the 16th over of the innings. Tucker continued his aggressive form as he slammed Australian bowlers all around the ground.
Starc delivered a massive over as he conceded 18 runs, with Tucker hammering him for three stunning fours. Cummins then delivered a slower short-of-length delivery to strike out batter McCarthy for three runs on seven pitches.
The last batter, Joshua Little, came out to bat but could not do much as he was run out by Mitchell Marsh and Maxwell and handed a big 42-run win to Australia.
Earlier, a calculated half-century from Captain Aaron Finch and his quick-fire partnership with all-rounder Marcus Stoinis powered Australia to a competitive 179/5 in their 20 overs.
Finch (63) and Stoinis (35) had a 70-run stand for the fourth wicket after the Aussies were left at 84/3 in the second half of the innings. Barry McCarthy (3/29) was the star of the bowlers for the Irish.
Put to bat first by Ireland, Australia was off to a tricky start as they lost the opener, David Warner, for 3 off 7 to Barry McCarthy after the batter pulled it straight to Mark Adair at backward square leg. Australia was 8/1 in 2.1 overs.
Following this early hiccup, Captain Aaron Finch was joined by Mitchell Marsh. Marsh took on confident Irish bowlers head-on, starting with a four in the leg side region on his first ball.
Finch also started to switch gears in the fifth over, smashing a four and a six. This over by Adair gave away 14 runs. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, Australia was at 38/1, with Finch (23) and Marsh (11).
Fionna Hand was smashed for two sixes by Marsh in the seventh over. The 50-run stand between the duo was formed in just 36 balls and the Aussies were slowly taking control of the match.
The 52-run stand between the duo was over when Marsh nicked the ball straight into keeper Lorcan Tucker’s hands in the eighth over. Marsh was back in the hut for 28 off 22 balls and McCarthy got his second wicket of the match.
Glenn Maxwell joined Finch in the crease. He survived some leg-before-wicket attempts and smacked a huge straight six to end the first half of the innings. At the end of 10 overs, Australia was at 78/2, with Maxwell (13) and Finch (29). After being bludgeoned by Finch for a four through the covers, pacer Joshua Little bounced back to produce a breakthrough to dismiss Maxwell for 13 off 9 balls, after he was caught by Tucker.