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Balbirnie leads the line

An unbeaten 82* from Andrew Balbirnie helped Ireland Men to a 2-0 ODI series win over Zimbabwe

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HARARE, Zimbabwe – Andrew Balbirnie surpassed 3,000 One Day International runs as Ireland Men secured a 2-0 series win, and their first ODI series win in Zimbabwe, with a seven-wicket win in a rain-affected game at the Harare Sports Club.

Balbirnie brought up his 3,000 career ODI run with a single off Blessing Muzarabani, joining Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, and. William Porterfield, as the only Irish Men’s batters to score over 3,000 ODI runs.

The Pembroke man scored his sixteenth One-Day International half-century, in an unbeaten 82*, as Ireland finished off their year in fine style, by adding the ODI series to their recent T20I series success.

There was one change in the Ireland team, as Josh Little, who picked up a slight niggle after his exploits in Friday’s game, was replaced by left-arm spinner Theo van Woerkom.

Zimbabwe brought Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Innocent Kaia, and Luke Jongwe back into their side, in place of Ryan Burl, due to concussion protocols, the injured Richard Ngarava, and Milton Shumba.

Ireland’s seam attack set the table for the batters, as Curtis Campher (4-37) and Graham Hume (4-34) took career best ODI bowling figures, while Mark Adair was equally effective with (0-22) from his eight-over spell.

Having been set a DLS adjusted target of 201 from 40-overs, due to a two-hour rain delay, Ireland soon lost Stirling (8), after he fell to the towering Muzarabani in the third over, after nicking the ball behind.

Coming in at number three, Campher settled quickly, taking his shots on, as the pair scored a 50-run partnership in just 56 balls.

Despite looking extremely comfortable in the middle, Campher (40) eventually fell to Brandon Mavuda, with Wellington Masakadza diving to claim a catch at mid-wicket, with Ireland 82-2. Campher’s 70-run second wicket stand with Balbirnie the best of the innings.

The departure of Campher saw the runs dry up, as scoring became difficult off the bowling of Sikandar Raza, Mavuta and Blessing Muzarabani.

However, Balbirnie and Harry Tector survived the onslaught, and combined for 63 runs, before Tector (33) skying a delivery from Luke Jongwe to Raza.

Balbirnie anchored Ireland’s innings extremely well and brought up his fifty off 76 balls.

With Ireland still requiring 59 off the last ten overs Balbirnie stepped on the gas. And he, along with Lorcan Tucker, combined to score 59 runs as Ireland won with thirteen balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, Ireland captain Stirling won the toss and put Zimbabwe in the bat.

Following wet overnight conditions, it didn’t take Graham Hume long to make an impact with the new ball. He removed opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe in the second over, with an outside edge that was taken by Balbirnie at second slip.

On a slow pitch, with lots of early movement, Ireland’s bowling attack restricted the flow of runs for Zimbabwe.

Some excellent fielding, and a dart like throw from Tector at backward point ended the Joylord Gumbie/Takudzwanashe Kaitano 43-run partnership. Tector running to his left, and from the ground, he had a direct hit on the stumps as Kaitano was run out for 13.

Just before the rain came Campher trapped Kiai (5) lbw, with Zimbabwe 78-3.

Despite a two-hour delay, and with the game reduced to 40 overs, Zimbabwe came out of the blocks after the resumption, with Raza finding his range quickly, including blasting a maximum off van Woerkom towards deep mid-wicket.

Gumbie and Raza combined for a 69-run fourth wicket partnership, before a slower delivery from Campher saw Raza hit straight to Dockrell on the leg-side boundary. Campher followed up with his third wicket of the game, bowling Madande for a duck.

Dockell grabbed two more boundary catches, that of Jongwe and Mavuta, with Zimbabwe 157-7.

After a thoroughly entertaining innings Gumbie (72) was run out by a combination of Andy McBrine and Craig Young, before a late burst from Wellington Masakadze (24) saw Zimbabwe post a total of 197.