A ninth-wicket partnership of 29 by Tim Murtagh and Andy McBrine helped Ireland edge a consolation win in the last game of their one-day series in Zimbabwe. In the end, it was Tim Murtagh’s brilliant all-round show that sealed the game for Ireland. But that was when Murtagh returned back to remove both Chigumbura and Raza in successive overs after which the home team collapsed without any fight. Murtagh followed up his 4 for 32 with a quick 13-ball 19 not out to star in Ireland’s solitary win in this tour.
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Murtagh was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland with career-best figures of 4 for 32 from his ten overs.
However, after falling to 160 for eight, Murtagh came in with a couple of lusty blows to take Ireland over the line alongside McBrine to round off the series.
Ireland, which lost first two games, hopes to save pride by winning the third ODI against Zimbabwe. At one point it seemed that the Irish batters were cruising towards the win but Zimbabwean bowled well and put up an inspiring fielding show as they nearly got into a winning position.
Perhaps complacent in the knowledge that the three-match series had been clinched after the second ODI on Sunday, Zimbabwe’s batting faltered. Young, who grabbed the headlines a year ago with his fifer on debut against Scotland, bowled good pace and provided Ireland with an early breakthrough as he sent back opener Richmond Mutumbami in the very first over.
Currently, Sean Williams and Brian Chari are at the crease on two of 10 balls and one of 13 balls respectively. William Porterfield and Paul Stirling put together 31 wickets for the opening wicket.
Zimbabwean skipper Elton Chigumburu and the ever-consistent Sikandar Raza added 71 for the fifth wicket, before Andrew Balbirnie held a fine catch on the boundary to account for Chigumburu (34). After that, Ireland picked up the remaining wickets without much fuss.
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Zimbabwe shift their attention to the limited overs series against Afghanistan which starts with the first ODI at Queens Sports Club on Friday, while Ireland will play Zimbabwe “A” in a four-day match, starting at Harare Sports Club on Saturday. The pressure built with the fall of wickets, and, eventually, it came down to Murtagh and McBrine to see it through.
