Canada have taken a 1-0 lead in their two-match ODI series against Ireland after winning their rain-affected opener in Toronto by four runs via the Duckworth-Lewis system.

After both teams were being forced to diddle around for more than three hours due to rain, Ireland eventually won the toss and elected to bat first in a match reduced to 35-overs-per side.

The visitors surprised all by asking Andre Botha to open up alongside Paul Stirling. The South African-born Botha didn't hang around long, hitting four fours in his 20 off 19 balls before becoming Khurram Chohan's first victim.

Stirling steadied the ship with 35, but the rest of the Ireland batsmen all came and went very quickly as pacers Chohan and Harvir Baidwan and spinner Parth Desai ripped through the top and middle order.

It was left to John Mooney to save Ireland from total embarrassment as his 47 from 55 balls helped the visitors to 175 which gave the bowlers at least something to defend.

Chohan was the pick of the Canadian bowlers with three for 25 in six while Baidwan and Desai settled for two wickets apiece.

Ireland needed a good start with the ball and Trent Johnston and Kevin O'Brien delivered as they reduced Canada to 15 for two in three overs with Rizwan Cheema going for a first-ball duck and fellow opener Hiral Patel adding just 10.

Ruvindu Gunasekera and Ashish Bagai took the game away from the visitors with a 140-run third-wicket partnership. The left-handed Gunasekera scored 71 while his captain contributed 63.

O'Brien and Johnston, though, hit back in the 32nd and 33rd over respectively to dismiss the duo and give the visitors hope of pulling off a remarkable victory. Canada stuttered to 163 for four in 33 overs when the heavens opened up again and the game was called off.

However, they did just enough to claim a narrow four-run win via DL.