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Little goes large

Six of the best from Josh Little on 100th Ireland appearance

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HARARE, Zimbabwe – An outstanding bowling performance by left-armer Josh Little – on his 100th Ireland appearance – helped Ireland Men claim a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe, and take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Little took the best ODI figures for an Irish bowler (6-36), becoming only the second Irish cricketer – alongside captain Paul Stirling – to take six wickets in a One-Day International, while Curtis Campher scored his sixth career ODI half-century in the run chase.

Earlier in the day, Ireland fielded an unchanged side from the opening game of the series, while Zimbabwe made a couple of changes – Milton Shumba and Wellington Masakadza replacing Innocent Kaia and Luke Jongwe. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision he would soon after rue, as Little tore through the Zimbabwe top-order.

Little took four wickets in 18 balls – including the wickets of Joylord Gumbie (5), Tinashe Kamunhukamwe (8), thanks to the safe hands of Andrew Balbirnie, Milton Shumba (0), and the Zimbabwe danger-man Raza (2) to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 19-4 after six overs.

Clive Madande and Ryan Burl started the Zimbabwean re-build and put together a composed fifth-wicket partnership. However, Andy McBrine ended the partnership on 45, after Madande skied a pull shot and substitute fielder Neil Rock ran from deep square leg to take a diving catch.

Craig Young removed Brandon Mavuta lbw, before Zimbabwe built some impetus with a seventh-wicket partnership between Burl and Wellington Masakadza, scoring 50 in 57 balls.

Burl’s patient innings was ended on 38 by one of Harry Tector’s off-break deliveries to leave Zimbabwe 133-7 after 36 overs.

Little finally took his career-first five-fer when Masakadze clipped one to Stirling at mid-wicket, and followed up with his record-equalling sixth, when he knocked back Richard Ngarava’s middle stump.

Mark Adair took the final wicket, a bouncer hit straight to Young, as Zimbabwe ended their innings on 166 off 42.5 overs.

Ahead of Ireland’s chase, Burl – who was hit on the helmet while batting – was ruled out of the game due to concussion protocols and was replaced by Tony Munyonga.

Ireland’s chase got off to an indifferent start, as Zimbabwe’s best bowler Ngarava throughout the series, removed Andrew Balbirnie with the first ball, a low delivery which knocked over his off stump.

Stirling was then bowled by the six-foot eight seamer Blessing Muzarabani, with a nasty delivery that moved into the right-hander, as Ireland reached 29-2 after the opening power play.

Following the loss of those early wickets Campher threw off the shackles, and scored five boundaries in seven balls, to move onto 36.

Along with Tector, the pair negotiated the Zimbabwe spin attack quite well, until their 52-run partnership was broken when Tector (21) was bowled by Mavuta.

With Ireland 101-3, and Campher on 49*, rain arrived. However, it may have come at an opportune time, as Campher had to helped off the field with what appeared an injury. However, he returned after the 25-minute rain delay and reached his sixth career ODI fifty, from 58 balls, with a single to the off-side.

Campher’s innings came to end on 66, when he was bowled by Mavuta, with Ireland still requiring 43 runs for victory. Despite losing both Lorcan Tucker (28) and George Dockrell (8), an unbeaten 25* from Adair helped to guide Ireland home. Adair scoring the winning runs by ramping the ball over the wicketkeeper for four. Ireland winning with 9.5 overs to spare.

Ireland now has the opportunity to win the ODI series with victory in the final match of the series on Sunday, 17 December at the same venue, with a 7.15am start (Irish time).