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GEORGETOWN, Guyana - A blushing Irish coach Adrian Birrell admitted today that James Franklin's long hitting capabilities had slipped under his team's radar during their preparation for yesterday's showdown with New Zealand.
New Zealand negotiated some tense moments with the bat to beat Ireland by 129 runs and move up into first place in the Super Eights after maintaining their unbeaten run through the World Cup, and putting themselves within touching distance of a semi-finals berth.
Franklin, having entered the fray in the 43rd over, combined with Brendon McCullum to blast New Zealand out of a tight spot in today's contest, ending with an unbeaten 34 off 22 balls after being called on to bat for the first time in the tournament.
Batting at No.9, Franklin teamed up with McCullum to add 71 vital runs for the eighth wicket, including 59 off the final five overs and 45 runs off the last three, as New Zealand stretched their score from 189 for seven, to the eventual total of 263 for eight.
Each clubbed a giant six during the late run-spree – Franklin's an impeccably timed lofted drive back over the head of off-spinner Kevin O'Brien.
Asked afterwards whether he realised Franklin was so dangerous with the willow, Birrell answered in the negative, conceding the blitzkrieg had came as something of a surprise.
"No, but I've subsequently heard he has a double-hundred at first class level and a test hundred," the coach told the world cricket media, shaking his head at the omission. "We actually didn't go through his batting.
"My mistake, that - we thought we were into the tail. But he batted really well."
New Zealand had laboured through most of the innings until McCullum injected some much-needed urgency into proceedings, lifting the tempo of the running between the wickets, and building on the solid albeit patient work from man-of-match Peter Fulton (83).
The total proved too much for Ireland, who threatened briefly at 110 for three, before losing their last seven wickets for just 24 runs, four of them to left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and a brace to his off-spinning partner Jeetan Patel.
Birrell, a South African national, said he rated New Zealand's chances of going the whole distance.
"They're chances are very good," he said. "I know I backed South Africa the other day and then they lost to Bangladesh but I am South African.
"With your two spinners and Bond up front - he is a real handful - good all-rounders, and batting all the way down… I just said to your management that they've got a really good chance."
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand
P Fulton lbw b McCallan 83
S Fleming c Porterfield b Rankin 10
H Marshall c Morgan b Langford-Smith 16
S Styris c N O'Brien b Langford-Smith 10
C McMillan c Johnston b McCallan 22
J Oram c Morgan b White 20
B McCullum c Morgan b Johnston 47
D Vettori c N O'Brien b White 5
J Franklin not out 34
S Bond not out 0
Extras (3b, 1lb, 12w) 16
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 263
Fall: 35 (Fleming), 59 (Marshall), 83 (Styris), 118 (McMillan), 172 (Fulton), 181 (Oram), 189 (Vettori)
Bowling: D Langford-Smith 10-1-41-2 (1w), B Rankin 8-0-55-1 (7w), T Johnston 10-0-63-1 (1w), K McCallan 10-0-35-2 (1w), A White 10-0-45-2, K O'Brien 2-0-20-0.
Ireland
W Porterfield c Styris b Bond 11
J Bray c McCullum b Bond 1
E Morgan c McCullum b Oram 15
N O'Brien c Oram b Patel 30
K O'Brien run out 49
T Johnston lbw b Patel 13
A White lbw b Vettori 0
P Gillespie lbw b Vettori 2
K McCallan b Vettori 0
D Langford-Smith not out 0
B Rankin lbw b Vettori 0
Extras (3lb, 8w, 2nb) 13
Total: (37.4 overs) 134
Fall: 5 (Bray), 22 (Porterfield), 35 (Morgan), 110 (K O'Brien), 125 (N O'Brien), 127 (White), 133 (Johnston), 133 (Gillespie), 134 (McCallan), 134 (Rankin).
Bowling: J Franklin 8-1-27-0 (1nb), S Bond 5-0-18-2 (1nb, 4w), J Oram 6-2-15-1 (2w), J Patel 7-1-32-2, D Vettori 8.4-1-23-4 (2w), S Styris 3-0-16-0.
Result: New Zealand won by 129 runs.
