A horror 12 overs in the middle of Ireland Wolves’ third game settled their fate at the Tri-Series in Abu Dhabi. From 185-5 after 43 overs they collapsed to 192 all out just 19 balls later and then Sri Lanka A's openers mauled the Ireland bowlers to score 93 in the first nine overs.

Wolves skipper Gavin Hoey hit back with three wickets in three overs and Scott Macbeth added a fourth but the damage had been done and the Sri Lankans made it three wins out of three with 137 balls to spare.

Ireland left out three pace bowlers in Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy and Josh Wilson, along with Ben Calitz, to play all three spinners, but that plan had backfired after just four overs with Jordan Neill’s first two overs going for 21 and Matthew Foster’s for 23, which included three no-balls.

There was no respite when Hoey turned to spin as Scott Macbeth and Cian Robertson then conceded 27 from their three overs in the powerplay. The 10th over was the first without at least one boundary. 

The opening partnership was finally ended at 107, in the 13th over, a comfortable stumping for Sam Topping. Three balls later, the other opener mistimed a pull to mid-wicket and a long hop gave the captain his third wicket, a straightforward catch for Chris de Freitas.
Macbeth forced Sahan Arachchige to play on but by then Sri Lanka needed just 25 to win. It was all over four overs later.

The Wolves also got off to a bad start with the bat, after winning the toss. Sam Topping was caught behind in the third over and three balls later Cade Carmichael was caught at second slip, both to balls they could have left.

Morgan Topping enjoyed two lives on four and 13 to stay with Stephen Doheny (31) and put on 56 for the third wicket and then 64 with Chris de Freitas. But, it has been a recurring theme that the Wolves batters have been unable to kick on to the big scores and Topping was duly caught at long-on five short of his half-century.

After Jordan Neill was bowled from a ball too full to cut, Ross Adair struggled to get going but then hit three successive balls for 4, 4 and 6. Unfortunately, his next ball went straight into the hands of the cover sweeper and that proved to be the beginning of the end.

Hoey was bowled by a superb yorker from opening bowler Dilshan Madushanka, giving him his fourth wicket, and leg spinner Dushan Hemantha ripped through the tail, the 46th over a double wicket maiden.

De Freitas, one of the few Wolves high-spots on the tour, was left stranded on 67, his second successive 50, and only three batters have scored more runs than him in the series.

Mathematically, Wolves can still make the final if Sri Lanka hammer Afghanistan in the final game on Wednesday but first Ireland must beat the Afghans on Monday (7am).