Proteas save their blushes to share ODI series

South Africa saved their blushes, beating Ireland by 70 runs and squaring the ODI series 1-1 in the third and final match at a sunny Malahide near Dublin on Friday.

The tourists, showing an intensity not apparent in either of the first two matches, ended the series on a positive note after losing the second match by 43 runs (the first being rained out) – their first defeat by the Irish. They thus scored 15 World Cup Super League points, the same as their opponents.

The Proteas’ dismal showing on Tuesday seemed a bad dream after a largely dominant performance – particularly with the bat – at Malahide.

The tourists made compelling first use of a belter of a wicket after Temba Bavuma won the toss, compiling an intimidating 346 for four, courtesy of magnificent centuries by Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock.

When Ireland replied, South Africa made excellent early progress to tear through the top-order before strong late middle-order resistance lead by allrounder Simi Singh with a superb debut hundred enabled the Irish to transform a potentially lopsided result into respectable defeat as they finished with 276 in 47.1 overs.

Afterwards, Bavuma described Malan (made player of the series) and De Kock’s batting as “awesome” but said his team’s showing in the latter part of the Irish innings was disappointing.

“We were good for the majority of the game; our skills were up until the last 10-15 overs of their innings when we let our standards down. We squared the series, and that was a positive, but it wasn’t the way we wanted to finish off the game.”

Malan outshines De Kock

NEVER QUITE RECOVERED

The home team never quite recovered after Keshav Maharaj, who opened the bowling with Anrich Nortje, grabbed the scalps of openers Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie in his first two overs – both caught at slip edging perfectly flighted, sharply turning deliveries – while debutant Lizaad Williams will never forget his introduction to ODI cricket, having Andy McBrine caught behind by De Kock with his first delivery.

This flurry of wickets reduced Ireland to 27 for three and deep trouble. Harry Tector and George Dockrell briefly stabilised the innings with a half-century partnership before Maharaj’s spin twin, Tabraiz Shamsi, got in on the act, trapping Tector leg before for 29.

Andile Phehlukwayo then took the opportunity to pick up a couple of cheap wickets although his bowling remains inconsistent, before Ireland enjoyed their best period with the bat with former SA under-19 batsman Curtis Campher and Singh sharing a seventh-wicket partnership of 104 in 107 balls, with Campher reaching a well-deserved half-century while both men played the spinners much better than their top-order teammates.

Phehlukwayo, who has something of a golden arm even when he’s not bowling well, then put an end to their brave resistance when he induced Campher to top-edge a pull to Malan at midwicket who completed a trio of catches to go with his early brace in the slips.

Singh, who was dropped twice in the outfield by Heinrich Klaasen as the tourists slacked off rather disappointingly in the later stages of the Irish innings, finally finished with a well-deserved unbeaten debut century in 91 balls including 14 fours.

Phehlukwayo (3-56) and Shamsi (3-46) shared six wickets for the Proteas while Maharaj grabbed the key early brace in a mixed bowling performance.

RUTHLESS APPETITE

Earlier, South Africa’s captain, Bavuma, asked his men for a special effort after their dismal showing on Tuesday and Malan and the returning De Kock responded with alacrity, both scoring superb centuries.

The two men added 225 for the first wicket on an easy-paced surface that invited a welter of runs. De Kock, who had been rested for the first two ODIs, struck one of his most fluent centuries, his 16th, as he stroked his way to a thrilling 120 (11 fours, five sixes) in just 91 balls.

It was South Africa’s fifth double-century opening partnership in ODIs with De Kock featuring in three of them.

On virtually any other occasion, De Kock’s innings would have been the highlight of the innings; the left-hander’s timing through the covers and the graceful execution of his shots around the wicket were close to perfection.

The entertainment lasted until the 37th over when De Kock’s slightly mistimed a pull off offspinner Singh and he was caught right on the square-leg boundary by Mark Adair.

De Kock's entertaining innings

Malan, showing a ruthless appetite for runs and hitting the ball with immense power, batted through the innings for his 177 in 169 balls, including 16 fours and six sixes.

Although he was outscored by De Kock, his late acceleration was such that he cracked 71 runs off his last 43 balls, just failing to reach John Campbell’s 179 that is the highest ODI score against Ireland.

So far, Malan’s ODI career has been short and very sweet. In only seven ODIs he has struck two centuries – one against Australia – and two half-centuries. Thus far he has compiled 483 runs at an average of 120.

After the departure of De Kock, Malan and Rassi van der Dussen, promoted ahead of his captain, added 81 for the second wicket before Van der Dussen was caught on the boundary for 30.

A couple of cheap wickets – those of Klaasen and Phehlukwayo – fell before Bavuma, who had demoted himself from three to six, joined his star opening batsman for the last over of the innings.

The teams meet again in Malahide on Monday for the start of their three-match T20I series.

IRELAND: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Simi Singh, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Craig Young, Joshua Little

SOUTH AFRICA: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma (capt), Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams