In a spirited display, Ireland claimed a 69-run victory over South Africa in the third and final ODI of the series at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, ending the tour on a positive note. After losing the first two matches, Ireland bounced back to deny South Africa a clean sweep in the series, thanks to an all-round performance led by key contributions from Paul Stirling, Harry Tector and a disciplined bowling attack.
Paul Stirling and Harry Tector lead the charge
Ireland elected to bat first, and the captain Paul Stirling set the tone for a competitive total with a well-constructed innings of 88 off 92 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes. His partnership with Andy Balbirnie, who contributed 45 off 73, laid a solid foundation for Ireland. Curtis Campher’s 34 off 36, and Harry Tector’s aggressive 60 off 48 further propelled Ireland to a total of 284/9 in 50 overs.
South Africa’s bowlers had a mixed day, with Lizaad Williams standing out, claiming 4 wickets for 56 runs in his full 10 overs. Ottniel Baartman and Andile Phehlukwayo also chipped in with two wickets each, but the rest of the bowling attack struggled to contain Ireland’s batters, allowing them to set a challenging target.
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South Africa collapse despite Jason Smith’s heroics
Chasing 285, South Africa got off to a disastrous start, losing early wickets in quick succession. The top order crumbled under the pressure, with Ryan Rickelton (4), Reeza Hendricks (1) and Rassie van der Dussen (3) falling cheaply, leaving South Africa reeling at 10/3. Kyle Verreynne provided some resistance with 38 off 36 balls, but the real standout of the innings was Jason Smith, who fought valiantly with a splendid 91 off 93, hitting 9 fours and 4 sixes.
Despite Smith’s lone battle, South Africa never recovered from their poor start. Ireland’s bowlers were disciplined, led by Graham Hume and Craig Young, who took 3 wickets each. Hume’s 3/29 and Young’s 3/40 were crucial in dismantling South Africa’s batting order. Mark Adair, Fionn Hand and Matthew Humphreys also contributed with a wickets each, and South Africa were bowled out for 215 in 46.1 overs.
Though the series ended 2-1 in favour of the Proteas men, the Irish side will take confidence from this 69-run victory.
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