Zimbabwe thump Ireland in third ODI to clinch series

HARARE: A disciplined bowling performance, followed by Ben Curran’s unbeaten century, powered Zimbabwe to thump Ireland by nine wickets and win the three-match ODI series 2-1 at the Harare Sports Club here on Tuesday.

Put into bat first, Ireland could accumulate 240/6 in their allotted 50 overs, despite half-centuries from Andy Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector.

The visitors got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost their skipper Paul Stirling (nine) and top-order batter Curtis Campher (11) early with just 42 runs on the board in 13.3 overs.

Following the slump, Balbirnie joined forces with Tector and launched recovery.

The duo added an important 86 runs for the third wicket until the opener fell victim to Wellington Masakadza in the 33rd over.

Balbirnie remained the top-scorer for Ireland with an anchoring 64 off 99 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.

Tector was then involved in a brief 31-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Tucker and walked back in the 39th over after scoring an 84-ball 51, laced with three fours and a six.

The wicketkeeper batter then oversaw Ireland’s batting expedition until the final over and returned after scoring 61 off 54 balls, featuring seven boundaries.

For Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava and Trevor Gwandu bagged two wickets each, while Blessing Muzarabani and Masakadza chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Chasing a modest 241-run target, the home side comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just one wicket and 63 balls to spare, thanks to a dominant performance by their top order.

Leading the way for the home side was Curran, who scored his maiden international century and remained unbeaten with 118 off 130 deliveries and hit 14 boundaries.

Curran was adequately supported by skipper Craig Ervine and fellow opener Brian Bennett.

Bennett made a run-a-ball 48, while Ervine scored an unbeaten 69 off 59 deliveries with the help of five fours and three sixes.

Graham Hume picked up the solitary wicket for Ireland.

For his match-winning century, Ben Curran was adjudged the Player of the Match, while Bennett bagged the Player of the Series award for scoring 247 runs in three innings at an astounding average of 82.33.