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Stirling leads Ireland to victory in third ODI

rugby07 October 2024 20:27| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Ireland captain, Paul Stirling, top-scored with a finely crafted 88 from 92 balls in a much-improved Irish performance as they posted a total of 284 for nine to beat South Africa by a comprehensive 69 runs after choosing to bat first in the third and final one-day international against South Africa at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Allrounder Jason Smith struck a defiant, brilliant 91 from 93 balls with nine fours and four sixes to significantly lower the margin of defeat as South Africa succumbed to 215 all out but there was always too much work to be done after a disastrous start to the run chase.

South Africa began in calamitous fashion, plunging to 10 for three inside five overs with Ryan Rickelton (4) caught at slip by Stirling in the first over off Mark Adair, Reeza Hendricks (1) thick-edging Graham Hume’s outswinger to third slip and Rassie van der Dussen trapped plumb lbw by Adair.

Kyle Verreynne’s spirited counterattack yielded 38 from 36 balls and ended with another plumb lbw against seamer Craig Young who all but ended the contest when his outswinger found Tristan Stubbs’ edge for keeper Lorcan Tucker to complete a simple catch. So desperate was Stubbs to rebuild that his 20 runs required 45 balls and contained just a single boundary.

Andile Phehlukwayo (23 from 28 balls) also, briefly, threatened a counter-attack while fellow allrounder Smith overcame a tortuously slow start in which he took 10 balls to score his first run and crawled to 18 off 37 balls before completing an extraordinary innings in just his second ODI.

STERLING STIRLING

Earlier, Stirling added 101 for the first wicket with Andy Balbirnie, who made a sedentary start, scraping to 20 from 43 balls before marginally accelerating to 45 from 73 before miscuing a pull shot against Lizaad Williams (10-2-56-4), giving Stubbs a tumbling catch at deep midwicket.

Curtis Campher made a lively 34 from 36 balls (4x4, 1x6) but found himself in a tangle attempting to scoop a length ball from Ottneil Baartman which crashed into his middle stump but Stirling received a beauty from Baartman (8-0-32-2) which nipped between bat and pad to hit off stump.

Stirling paced his innings beautifully, attacking during the power play before manipulating the ball into gaps during the middle overs and would have been excellent value for a 15th ODI century had he reached the milestone. Nonetheless, he left his team well-placed at 179 for three with 15 overs remaining.

Harry Tector ran hard during his fine innings of 60 from 48 deliveries (4x4, 1x6) and, although Ireland’s progress stumbled when Phehlukwayo (2-32) had Lorcan Tucker (26) caught by keeper Rickelton attempting another scoop and George Dockrell (6) caught on the boundary, Ireland were well placed for an upset with a consolation victory which they duly achieved.

South Africa had already clinched the series with comprehensive victories by 139 and 174 runs in the first two matches at the same venue on Wednesday and Friday last week, but the loss will leave a sour taste after what has been a disappointing tour which included a 2-1 ODI series loss to Afghanistan.

IRELAND: Paul Stirling (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wkt), George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Matthew Humphreys, Craig Young, Graham Hume, Fionn Hand.

SOUTH AFRICA: Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen (captain), Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Tristan Stubbs, Jason Smith, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.

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