BELFAST(Cricket news) A professional performance saw Ireland get to a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the third and final ODI of the DafaNews series.

After the second ODI of the series was cancelled due to rain, the bad weather threatened to spoil the party once more as the toss was delayed and the match eventually began at 12:45pm and it was cut down to 42 overs. Ireland made just the one change from the second ODI, with Shane Getkate replacing Craig Young.

After winning the toss, Andrew Balbirnie chose to bowl first, and didn’t have to wait too long to get a wicket. Brendan Taylor playing his final international match for Zimbabwe looked to take the attack to Josh Little but was bowled by an inswinger for 7 in the fourth over. Little’s next over saw him take another wicket with a full swinging delivery that rattled the stumps to send Regis Chakabva on his way.

Skipper Craig Ervine led the charge for his side, striking seven boundaries and one maximum as he reached 57, his 20th half-century in ODI cricket. But there was little support from elsewhere. Wessley Madhevere gifted his wicket giving an easy catch to Paul Stirling at mid-on off the bowling of Shane Getkate as he was dismissed for a 26-ball 16, and Sean Williams had his off stump pegged back as Andrew McBrine fired in a sharp off-break. Ervine’s departure from the first ball of the 25th over – McBrine found the outside edge with another fine delivery – left Zimbabwe in serious trouble at 99-5 before weather intervened once more just moments later.

When play resumed for a 38-overs-per-side match, Ireland continued to land regular blows: Sikandar Raza was run out by Balbirnie; Ryan Burl was cleaned up by Simi Singh; Luke Jongwe couldn’t survive a review as the McBrine caught him plum on the pads; and Blessing Muzarabani edged behind to Lorcan Tucker off Little’s bowling as Ireland went upstairs once more to overturn the on-field decision. From the final ball of the 34th over, Zimbabwe’s resistance came to an end on 131 as Singh bowled Richard Ngarava.

The start of Ireland’s chase was delayed by rain and once again the equation shifted: the match was deducted to 35 over per innings, with Ireland chasing 126. A quiet first six overs resulted in 20 runs and no wicket, but Stirling got his innings moving in the seventh with back-to-back fours and a thumping six down the ground off the bowling of Jongwe.

The rain forced another stoppage in the eighth over, leading to a new target of 118 from 32 overs, but Stirling continued to fire. While his partner William Porterfield fell for 16 to Muzarabani, Stirling kept the scoreboard ticking over (five fours and two sixes featured in his final summary) as he moved to 43. While the opener fell with 29 runs still required, Balbirnie kept the chase under control before he was dismissed himself with five runs to go.

It was up to Harry Tector to wrap up proceedings in the 23rd over, helping the hosts level the series at 1-1 and secure 10 Cricket World Cup Super League points. For his fine three-wicket haul, McBrine was named Player of the Match while Porterfield – the leading run-scorer across both sides after three matches – was named Player of the Series.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men, 3rd ODI DafaNews Cup, Stormont, 13 September 2021

Zimbabwe 131 (34 overs; C Ervine 57; A McBrine 3-26, J Little 3-33)

Ireland 118-3 (22.2 overs; P Stirling 43, A Balbirnie 34; W Masakadza 1-9)

Ireland won by 7 wickets (DLS)  (Series drawn 1-1)

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