IRE vs SA: Paul Stirling guides Ireland to consolation win in final ODI

Ireland earned a consolation win over South Africa by 69 runs in their third and last one-day international on Monday.

Led by Paul Stirling, Ireland gave its best batting performance of the series in posting 284/9, while medium-pacers Graham Hume, Craig Young and Mark Adair stepped up to bowl out South Africa for 215 in the 47th over.

South Africa would have been worse off without Jason Smith’s 91 in his second ODI, but they were already headed to their second ODI loss to Ireland after the top order tanked for just 10 runs, inside the first 5 overs of the chase.

Openers Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks, who replaced injured captain Temba Bavuma, were both caught in the slips, and when stand-in captain Rassie van der Dussen was lbw to Adair, South Africa was 10-3 in the fifth over.

Kyle Verreynne and Tristan Stubbs tried to revive them but Young trapped Verreynne on 38 and got Stubbs’ outside edge on 20, and South Africa was reduced to 79-5 in the 20th over.

Smith, playing his second ODI, arrived in the 14th over and didn’t score off his first nine balls faced. Then he took off. He reached his maiden half-century off 63 balls with his sixth boundary, through midwicket, and was out in the 45th over for 91 off 93 when he sliced Hume to deep third. Smith entertained with four sixes and nine boundaries.

Graham Hume, Craig Young anf Mark Adair were the pick among the bowlers and registered figures of 3-29, 3-40 and 2-54 respectively.

In the first innings, captain Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie kicked off the proceedings with a 101-run stand, Ireland’s highest opening partnership against South Africa.

After the strong start, Curtis Campher and Lorcan Tucker added 34 and 26 to their names. As the middle order nothched up the runs, Stirling notched his 30th ODI fifty and reached 88 off 92 balls, with eight boundaries and three sixes, when he was beaten by medium-pacer Ottneil Baartman’s nip-backer.

Ireland looked like passing 300 but Lizaad Williams bagged three wickets in the 48th over, and Harry Tector, dropped on 33, was run out in the last over on 60 from 48 balls. It was his 11th ODI fifty.

Ireland’s win marked the conclusion of the series between the two teams. South Africa won the ODI series 2-1, and the teams split the T20Is 1-1.