Ireland v South Africa T20: Tourists earn eight-wicket win to level series
- Published
South Africa levelled the series ahead of Wednesday's decider after their surprise defeat by the Irish on Friday
Second Twenty20 international, Pembroke CC, Dublin |
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Ireland 106-7 (20 overs): Lewis 31, Waldron 24; Sekhukhune 2-17, De Klerk 2-26 |
South Africa 107-2 (15 overs): Goodall 52, Bosch 32 |
South Africa won by eight wickets |
A half century by Lara Goodall helped South Africa level the T20 series against Ireland at 1-1 as the visitors earned a dominant eight-wicket win to set up a decider on Wednesday.
After their surprise 10-run victory on Friday at Pembroke, the hosts were restricted to 106-7 in their innings.
While skipper Gaby Lewis top-scored with 31, their total was below par.
With Goodall's 52 including eight boundaries, the visitors reached a winning target of 107-2 in 15 overs.
Tazmin Brits departed for 15 in the third over at Pembroke after being bowled by Arlene Kelly to leave the South Africans on 29-1, but fellow opener Goodall then produced a 72-run partnership for the second wicket with Anneke Bosch.
Jane Maguire bowled Goodall with the visitors five short of their target - and Bosch was unbeaten on 32 as victory was sealed.
Ireland's innings saw opener Leah Paul trapped for nine by Shabnim Ismail in the fourth over to leave the hosts 19-1.
Lewis' departure in the ninth over left Ireland on 48-2 and her 29-run partnership with Mary Waldron proved the biggest of the home team's innings.
Waldron was dismissed by Bosch for 24 with Rachel Delaney the only other Irish batter to reach double figures as she hit 12, before being one of Nadine de Klerk's two victims.
Tumi Sekhukhune also took two wickets with Nonkululeko Mlaba having taken the prized wicket of Irish skipper Lewis, who was playing in her 50th T20 international.
The sides meet again at Pembroke in the decider on Wednesday before a three-game ODI series gets under way at Clontarf on Saturday.