Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the 2019 World Cup finals in England all but ended after a 107 run defeat to Zimbabwe in their first game of the "super sixes" stage of the qualifying tournament in Harare.
Having taken just two points into the "super six" of the competition, Ireland went down to their first defeat of the second stage in a must win game and are now dependent on other results to keep their slim chances of qualifying alive.
Earlier in the day, it had all looked so good for Ireland who won the toss and decided to bowl.
On a slow pitch, runs were hard to come by for the hosts as they fell to 87 for 5 by the 21st over and when the prize wicket of Brendan Taylor fell LBW to Andy McBrine, Zimbabwe were in real trouble at 112 for 6.
However, Ireland let their opponents off the hook after that as Zimbabwe went on to post 211 for 9, thanks mainly to a battling 69 by Sikandar Raza off 89 deliveries, including two sixes in the last over from Barry McCarthy to help take Zimbabwe past the 200 mark.
A target of 212 looked a modest enough one from Ireland's point of view, but the Zimbabweans had to fight for every run in their innings and in reply Ireland had fallen to 34 for 4 by the 12th over.
William Porterfield (7) Andy Balbirnie (2) Ed Joyce (0) and Niall O’Brien (8) all fell early as Graham Ford’s side struggled in the Harare sunshine with Tendai Sam Chisoro taking three of Ireland's top order batsmen.
Kevin O’Brien only made 7 off 15 deliveries before he fell in the 16th over to the spin of Sean Williams and Ireland were staring a grim defeat in the face.
Ireland moved to 86 by the 27th over before a disastrous mix up between Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson saw the former run out for 41.
After that, the game was up for the visitors.
In the end, Ireland fell well short of the target and were ultimately bowled out for only 104.
Zimbabwe move level with Scotland at the top of the super six standings on five points from three matches while Ireland remain on two points from their three games.
Ireland play Scotland in their penultimate game on Sunday, now needing other sides to do them favours if they are to make the finals with their last game in the second phase of the competition against Afghanistan next Friday
