Ireland v South Africa T20 series: Hosts must simplify game plan says Mark Adair

Ireland all-rounder Mark Adair believes the home side can regroup for the second Twenty20 match against South Africa at Stormont on Thursday.

The Irish slipped to a 33-run loss in Monday's opener at Malahide as their top-order batsmen struggled.

"We just need to simplify our game plan," said Adair.

"I don't think that we need to do anything too differently. We just need to be aware of how we go about executing our plans."

After restricting South Africa's run-rate for much of their innings, the Proteas' late scoring burst saw them compile 165-7 on Monday and in reply, Ireland slipped to 46-5 to effectively seal their fate.

"T20 cricket can be a complicated game at times, but from game one we know that if we just closed out their innings better, and started ours a bit better, we could have been looking at 150 plays 150," added Adair.

The Holywood man - who took the match-clinching final South Africa wicket in Ireland's one-day win over the Proteas last week as the hosts clinch a merit 1-1 series draw - is looking forward to playing at a Stormont ground he knows well.

"I've grown up playing around Stormont," he said. "I remember even helping out the groundsman with the covers when I was young.

"In fact, my first live game of cricket was Ireland v England at Stormont where I was helping to pull the covers - so it will be nice to be back playing there again."

As was the case in the drawn one-day series against South Africa at Malahide and Monday's T20 game at the north county Dublin venue, 500 spectators will be allowed to attend Thursday's contest at Stormont and Saturday's concluding match.

"It's been great to be back playing in front of crowds too," added Adair.

"When Bal [Andrew Balbirnie] got his hundred the other day, you saw the entire ground stand up for him.

"I don't want to say it was emotional, but you got that tingling feeling once more."