Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Josh Little, Andy McBrine keep Zimbabwe to 131. [File photo] Andy McBrine finished with figures of 3-26
[File photo] Andy McBrine finished with figures of 3-26
Ireland managed to keep Zimbabwe to 131 in the third and final ODI in Belfast. Rain before the contest forced the officials to reduce the overs to 42 per side but it struck again – in the 25th over – to further dent the overs and make it a 38-overs-per-side affair. Ireland, however, needed just 34 to shoot down their opponents despite Craig Ervine's 57.
Put in, Joshua Little landed the early blows. Brendan Taylor, playing his final international game, was the first to fall in the fourth over only to be followed by Regis Chakabva in the sixth. Ervine and Wessley Madhevere steadied the early wobble with a 59-run stand to ensure Zimbabwe were back on track to build a challenging total.
Shane Getkate struck in the 16th – to remove Madhevere – and Zimbabwe nosedived from there on to hand the advantage to Ireland. Sean Williams made 4, Sikandar Raza got 9 and Ryan Burl was dismissed for 5. In between, they lost Ervine soon after his half-century. From being 74 for 2 at one stage, Zimbabwe soon slipped to 117 for 7 with their middle-over nipped out.
What hurt Zimbabwe the most was their inability to find periods of consolidation. Apart from the half-century stand, none of the batsmen could stick around and rally some sort of support. Josh Little and Andy McBrine shared six wickets between them while Getkate and Simi Singh got one each.
Ireland will look to bag crucial 10 ODI Super League points after the washout in the second game. They had put up a competitive score but rain ensured Zimbabwe's chase couldn't get underway. The visitors lead the series 1-0 after a win in the opening ODI.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 131 in 34 overs (Craig Ervine 57; Andy McBrine 3-26) vs Ireland.
