(Cricket news): A calm and composed bowling display from Zimbabwe helped the visitors secure a three run win over Ireland in a low scoring thriller to go 1-0 up in the Dafa News T20I Cup.
Chasing 118, Ireland were seven wickets down when they required six runs from the final over but left arm quick Richard Ngarava kept his cool to concede only two runs and even take the wicket of Barry McCarthy in the process.
Ngarava’s final few deliveries summed up a strong display in the field from the visitors. While Paul Stirling was fresh off a match winning hand in the Hundred final for Southern Brave and was also playing his 300th match for Ireland. Stirling got his side’s innings up and running with a 19 ball 24, no one else in the Ireland top seven was able to find their form as Andrew Balbirnie, George Dockrell, Shane Getkate, Curtis Campher and international debutante Neil Rock fell for single digit scores.
Kevin O’Brien, Stirling’s opening partner, took nine balls to register a score and though he did eventually find some rhythm to move to 25, his dismissal to Ryan Burl in the 11th over left Ireland stranded on 65-4.
Leg-spinner Burl combined brilliantly with left arm spinner Wellington Masakadza in the middle overs as the pair shared five wickets, but Ireland still had managed to keep hopes alive through Simi Singh, the No.8 hit an ODI century against South Africa last month. Off the 17th over, bowled by Tendai Chatara, Singh hit a flashing cut for four with a straight six, leaving 18 required from as many balls. But Zimbabwe did not bow down at the death, with Singh left unbeaten at the end on 28 off 22 deliveries as McCarthy departed for 4 off 11 before Craig Young was immediately run out from the penultimate ball of the match.
Earlier in the day, Ireland had enjoyed their own success with the ball. Young picked up the wicket of Wessley Madhevere from the final ball of his first over, with Rock holding on to the edge behind the stumps. The seamer didn’t have to wait long for his second as Tadiwanashe Marumani fell for a 10 ball 1 in the third over.
Yet while Young had removed both of Zimbabwe’s openers cheaply, their No.3 did not fall like his predecessors. Regis Chakabva played what was to be the match defining innings as his 47 took just 28 deliveries with help of four fours and one six. Runs were harder to come by from elsewhere for Zimbabwe as McCarthy, Singh and Getkate joined Young in the wickets column, but a total of 117 proved to be just enough in the end.
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