Date-stamped : 30 Apr97 - 06:16 Cronje coaxes Irish to brink of famous win By Daniel James in Dublin Middlesex (134-6) need 148 runs to beat Ireland (281-4) HANSIE CRONJE inspired Ireland to the brink of a famous victory over Middlesex at Clontarf in Dublin yesterday. When play was called off for bad light and rain, Middlesex needed a further 148 runs off only 17.4 overs. Cronje, the South African captain who is playing for and coaching the Irish at the suggestion of Ali Bacher, hit 94 not out off 82 balls in Ireland`s best total against county opposition. The man from Orange Free State, who arrived in Ireland for the first time on Friday, then took the crucial wicket of Mark Ramprakash in a seven-over spell of two for 33. Middlesex`s last hope seemingly disappeared when captain Mike Gatting drove a return catch to his opposite number Justin Benson, only bowling because of absentees from the team following the ICC Trophy. Benson struck again when Jason Pooley played on in the 32nd over and Keith Dutch followed four balls later when he charged Greg Molins and was stumped. Judging by the way Cronje sprinted in to join the celebrations, he is already feeling part of a team that would surely have gone one better and qualified for the World Cup had they had his services in Malaysia. Rain, which interrupted play several times, then returned with a vengeance, allowing Middlesex time to regroup, but even if it pours all day today they will not be saved by the Duckworth-Lewis method for deciding weather-hit matches. Put into bat by Gatting, Ireland`s innings was launched by Decker Curry, a pinch-hitting abattoir worker, who smashed two sixes and a flurry of fours. Curry was particularly severe on Simon Cooke, making his debut for Middlesex. He lifted the seamer for a six in the second over, and repeated the treatment later despite the presence of a boundary fielder. With only Angus Fraser firing among their seamers, Midddlesex had to call on spinners Paul Weekes, Phil Tufnell and Dutch to apply a brake in mid-innings. Weekes bowled Curry for 75 off 93 balls but Cronje and Alan Lewis were untroubled as they compiled 48 from 10 overs to build a platform for a final assault. When Lewis was bowled by Tufnell, Benson weighed in with 20 off 26 balls and with Cronje cleverly finding the twos the impetus in the final overs had a professional look. Wicketkeeper Andy Patterson blazed 24 from 15 balls and Cronje blasted the final ball of the innings for six. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) ================================>more Irish `weekend amateurs` enjoy historic success By Daniel James in Dublin Ireland (281-4) bt Middlesex (235) by 46 runs IRELAND duly completed a first win over county opposition yesterday that coach Mike Hendrick believes will give them the confidence to regularly test professional sides. Middlesex were all but beaten on Monday night, and although Angus Fraser lifted a couple of defiant sixes, their last four wickets never threatened to score a further 148 off 17.4 overs. There were a couple of nervous moments for an expectant crowd of 500 at Clontarf, when Fraser and Phil Tufnell clobbered 48 off six overs for the ninth wicket, but two straight deliveries wrapped up a 46-run win before midday. Hendrick said: "Just by winning that game Ireland will become a more dangerous side, because we will be playing counties in the knowledge that we can beat them rather than in the hope." Hendrick paid tribute to Hansie Cronje, the South African captain and all-rounder who is coaching and playing for the side at the suggestion of Ali Bacher. Cronje added figures of three for 38 to his 94 not out and Hendrick said: "We couldn`t ask more of Hansie, either on or off the field. "He has fitted in superbly, and the rest of the team have responded to his presence. When Hansie arrived last week, I told them I didn`t want anyone hiding behind him and to their credit no one did." Cronje ended the only sign of resistance when he knocked out Tufnell`s off-stump and medium-pacer Derek Heasley finished off Middlesex for 235, leaving Fraser 30 not out off 17 balls. The improvement and sharpness that Hendrick has brought during his two years in charge was evident earlier when Angus Dunlop and Peter Gillespie took excellent catches in the deep. Mike Gatting, who is looking forward to the arrival later this week of Middlesex`s South African all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, said: "Our performance was a bit rusty, but it`s not time to reach for the panic button after one defeat. "There was no comparing this Ireland side with any that I`ve played against in the past, and I`ll be very surprised if they don`t prove a handful for the other teams in the group." But the problems Hendrick will continue to encounter in charge of what he calls "basically a weekend amateur team" were highlighted by the withdrawal of Gold Award winner Decker Curry from their next game in Taunton on Friday. Curry, who blazed a pinch-hitting 75 to begin the Middlesex downfall, is required to oversee the demise of less able animals in his job as an abattoir worker in Londonderry. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)