Middlesex cruise to Irish victory

C&G Trophy, Lord's: Middlesex 185-1 beat Ireland 184 by nine wickets

Scorecard

Middlesex coasted to a nine-wicket win over Ireland in the C&G Trophy with half their overs unused.

Ed Joyce and Ed Smith put on 181 for the first wicket as Ireland's 184 all out proved hopelessly inadequate.

Chad Keegan took 4-24 and though Dominick Joyce and Peter Gillespie each passed 40 there was little else of note from the Ireland batsmen.

Pakistanis Shahid Afrid and Saqlain Mushtaq failed to ignite as Middlesex celebrated their second win in five.

Smith (81 not out) and Joyce (95) were brutal on the Irish bowlers.

Joyce showed little sympathy to the country of his birth, pulling an Andre Botha delivery into the 10th row of the Grand Stand to collect his runs off just 74 balls.

When he eventually lofted a catch to deep backward point, he had struck a stirring 95 off 74 balls.

Earlier he had bowled three overs, including a handful of deliveries to his brother Dominick.