Ireland

made it 20 straight victories in World T20 qualifiers when they beat the

United States

by 46 runs at

Stormont

in Belfast

yesterday.

John Bracewell’s side are now two from two in this year’s event, with their 20-game winning streak stretching back to 2012.

Having been put in to bat on a bright morning, Ireland were struggling somewhat at 57 for four, but Andrew Balbirnie's 44 from 34 balls and some late hitting from John Mooney (20 in seven balls) helped add 51 runs in the last four overs to finish on 146 for six.

Ireland needed to start well and Alex Cusack provided the breakthrough in the first over of the reply, courtesy of a Gary Wilson catch behind the stumps. If truth be told the Americans never really threatened, as the bowlers retained the upper hand.

Mooney followed up his batting pyrotechnics by taking two for 17, with Cusack (two for 19) and Stuart Thompson (two for 20) faring best with the ball on a day when John Bracewell's charges won well without being emphatic. The Irish fielding was top notch, with two run outs and some excellent catches as the Americans were dismissed for exactly 100.

Maximum points

It was tough work at times despite having plenty in hand at the end, but maximum points from their two games so far is all that will matter going into today’s match against second-placed Nepal – the action at Stormont gets under way at 2.15pm.

Fellow hosts Scotland fell to their second defeat of the weekend as they conceded 210 runs against Afghanistan in Edinburgh before being bowled out for 173 to lose by 37 runs. Scotland’s bowlers also took some tap on Saturday when the Netherlands made 191 for six to set up a 32-run victory.