Ballance marks Zimbabwe debut with win against Ireland
Ryan Burl led the way with 3 for 29 as Ireland were bowled out for 114, a total Zimbabwe chased down in 18 overs
ESPNcricinfo staff
12-Jan-2023
Gary Ballance receives his Zimbabwe cap from captain Craig Ervine • AFP/Getty Images
Zimbabwe 118 for 5 (Williams 34*, Ballance 30, Tector 2-17) beat Ireland 114 (Delany 24, Burl 3-29, Masakadza 2-13) by five wickets
Gary Ballance, playing his first game - and first ever T20I - for his country of birth, marked his Zimbabwe debut with a five-wicket victory against Ireland. Ballance, who had previously played 39 international matches for England, scored 30 off 29 balls, as the hosts chased down 115 with two overs to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Part-time offspinner Harry Tector surprisingly opened the bowling in Ireland's defence, having Craig Ervine dropped first ball as Gareth Delany put down a sitter at cover. But Ervine fell only five deliveries later, when he miscued a loft over mid-off to give Tector his first wicket. Two balls later, Mark Adair trapped Tadiwanashe Marumani to leave Zimbabwe on 8 for 2, before Ballance and Wessly Madhevere steadied the innings.
They calmly added 35, with Tector cleaning Madhevere up with one that turned in very slightly in the eighth over. By then, Ballance had settled down to go at an easy pace, adding another 28 with Sean Williams, who remained unbeaten on 34. Williams saw the chase through along with Clive Madande, who smashed a quickfire 18.
Earlier, only three Ireland batters managed to get into double figures, with Delany's 24 from No. 8 being the highest contribution in their total of 114. They were 74 for 8 the 15th over, when Delany added 31 - the most for any wicket on the day for the visitors - with Fionn Hand. There were combined contributions from all of Zimbabwe's bowlers, as Player of the Match Ryan Burl led the way with 3 for 29.
Debutant wicketkeeper-batter Stephen Doheny briefly sparkled with 15 from 13 balls, as Burl and Wellington Masakadza, who finished with 2 for 13, ran through Ireland's middle order. Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava also bagged two wickets each, as the Ireland innings ended when Ervine pouched a spectacular catch leaping at extra cover.