Ireland prevail in close contest

Ireland held their nerve to beat the United Arab Emirates by two wickets with just four balls to spare at Brisbane's Gabba ground on Wednesday as they moved a step closer to the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Set 279 for victory after Shaiman Anwar scored the UAE's first World Cup hundred, Ireland were faltering at 97 for four and 171 for five in this Pool B clash.

But Gary Wilson (80) and the big-hitting Kevin O'Brien, who made 50 off 24 balls, got them back on track with a sixth-wicket partnership of 72.

However, both batsmen fell within sight of victory and it was left to George Dockrell (seven not out) and Brisbane-born Alex Cusack (five not out) to see Ireland to victory as the two non-Test nations produced the most exciting game of the World Cup so far.

Defeat was tough on the amateurs from the Middle East, who were in dire straits at 131 for six.

But Anwar (106) and Amjad Javed (42) hit back with a record-breaking stand of 107 which took the UAE to 278 for nine.

Their partnership surpassed the previous World Cup best for the seventh wicket of 98 shared by the West Indies' Ramnaresh Sarwan and Ridley Jacobs against New Zealand at Port Elizabeth in 2003.

Javed had a fine all-round match, also taking three for 60 with his deceptive medium pace and holding a brilliant catch at short third man that dismissed Wilson to give the UAE a late chance of victory.

Both Anwar, who made his previous one-day international best of 67 in the UAE's tournament-opening loss to Zimbabwe, and Javed seized on a succession of short balls from Kevin O'Brien.

Anwar's three down to third man off O'Brien saw him to a hundred in 79 balls with 10 fours and a six.

He was eventually out for 106, skying Max Sorensen to wicketkeeper Wilson, after scoring only the UAE's second one-day international century following Khurram Khan's 132 against Afghanistan last year.