Who needs the county professionals?

Ireland ended their losing run against Afghanistan with five of their first choice side missing, winning the World League clash at VOC Rotterdam by 39 runs.

It keeps Trent Johnston's side on course to retain their title and victory over Scotland - the only other team to have won both their first two games - will put them in pole position.

Alex Cusack was yesterday's bowling hero, he took the last wicket in his ninth over to finish with career best international figures of five for 20 but it was his Clontarf team-mate, Andrew Poynter who won the man of the match award for his Ireland-best innings of 77 on Saturday.

The game had to be continued yesterday when rain prevented Afghanistan starting their innings on schedule but it suited Ireland that they could come back and play the full second innings yesterday.

The Afghans know only one way to play and when Ireland's bowlers dried up the boundaries, the wickets started to fall. There wasn't one 50 partnership in the innings - Ireland had two in theirs, of 237 for nine - and five times Johnston made bowling changes and was rewarded with a wicket.

Cusack proved the golden arm, having Noor Ali and the dangerous Mohammad Shahzad, who averages 84 when Afghanistan beat Ireland, caught in his first over, and followed up with the wickets of Ashgar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari at the start of his second and third spells.

Although Andrew White and George Dockrell also picked up wickets in their first overs, when the three spinners - Paul Stirling's comeback over cost 15 - started leaking runs the absence of the in-form Albert van der Merwe looked as if it would be crucial.

But every time Johnston turned to pace, his team-mates did not let him down, Kevin O'Brien having Mohammad Nabi caught at long-on at the start of the second spell and the captain finally got one in the final column in what proved to be his last over to end a ninth wicket stand of 35.

It was the catching which won and lost this match, however. Afghanistan dropped five simple ones, Ireland only one and having achieved his first goal of the week Johnston is now hoping to get another chance of beating the Afghans in Saturday's final.

Beating Afghanistan at the tournament was one of the goals I can now chalk off and hopefully we get another chance to beat them in the final. First, though, the lads are pumped up for the top of the table clash with Scotland and hope we can take another step to making the final.

Man of the match Poynter admitted after his club form with Clontarf has been the reason behind his success on his return to the Ireland team after a year in the wilderness.

“Coming into the squad again with form and runs behind me gives me a bit more confidence. I hadn't been in great form previously but this has made a difference. I felt I had a little bit to prove, I just want to take the opportunity,” said Poynter who was also delighted for his Clontarf colleague.

“Alex is unbelievable. He trains so hard and it was great to see him getting those wickets. He puts it in every day and this was his reward. But all the lads bowled well and everyone fielded well. It's good to get a win over Afghanistan because they have had a little bit over us.”

It was only Ireland's second win in six matches against the newest side at the Associates top table but for Poynter, the Afghans at Rotterdam is a winning combination.

“VOC has been good to me with 76 in the four dayer last year and 77 today and I'm five wins from five here so unbeaten. I'm also two from two against Afghanistan, after the win in Benoni in the warm-up for the World Cup qualifiers (when Poynter scored 38 not out),” he said.