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Smith rips through Ireland with a 29-ball five-for as New Zealand tightens grip

By The Associated Press

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Fast bowler Nathan Smith took five wickets in 29 deliveries as New Zealand continued to stifle Ireland in their one-off test at Stormont on Thursday.

Thanks to Smith, Ireland was all out for 179 and made to follow on. At stumps, Ireland was 65-2 on day two in pursuit of a 312 target to win the first-ever test between them.

New Zealand declared at 490-8 before lunch when debutant Dean Foxcroft was out for 98, missing out on the third century in the innings.

Smith then broke the New Zealand record for a five-for from 39 balls by Shane Bond in 2005 against Zimbabwe.

In his fifth test, Smith helped to reduce Ireland to 38-6 in the 10th over, four of those top six batters going for ducks.

But Mark Adair and Andy McBrine held off New Zealand in a stand of 116. McBrine was dropped on 10 at first slip off Smith, but he finally broke the pair and got his sixth wicket when Adair was undone by a short ball on 40.

The remaining wickets were mopped up and McBrine was stranded on 73 not out. Smith finished with 6-40 after 14 overs.

The follow-on was enforced, possibly because New Zealand eyed rain in the forecast on the fourth and final day.

Ireland started better than in the first innings but Blair Tickner got edges from captain Andy Balbirnie and Cade Carmichael, leaving Stephen Doheny on 36 at stumps with nightwatchman Thomas Mayes.

New Zealand resumed the day on 361-5 after tons by Rachin Ravindra and Tom Blundell rescued the Black Caps from 86-4. Blundell improved his career-best 142 overnight to 186 off 292 balls with 22 boundaries. He was out trying to hit Reuben Wilson to long on and coming up short at deep midwicket, one delivery after he was dropped in the same area.

Smith then ran himself out while Foxcroft appeared headed to a century on debut against Ireland’s fledgling attack — first-day, three-wicket star Adair didn’t bowl on Thursday. But on 98 Foxcroft swept McBrine and top-edged to short fine leg.

New Zealand declared and took 12 Irish wickets in 61 overs.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

By WTOP Staff
▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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