Shabnim Ismail's three-for, fifties from Andrie Steyn, Lara Goodall help South Africa take unassailable lead

An unconquered 165-run partnership between Andrie Steyn and Lara Goodall helped South Africa hunt down 214 and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Ireland in Dublin. The win also gave them two points, putting them in joint first place with Pakistan in the ICC Women's Championship standings.

Steyn and Laura Wolvaardt got South Africa off to a quick start, putting on 52 before Georgina Dempsey got Wolvaardt, who had been handed a life earlier, to chip one to short midwicket. Dempsey then saw another catch going down off her bowling, Goodall the beneficiary early in her innings. But once she was off the attack, Steyn and Goodall looked untroubled.

Goodall continued her good run on the tour, hitting her second 50-plus score to go with het 48 in the second T20I. The pair completed the run-chase with 11.2 overs to spare.

After South Africa elected to bowl, a relentless burst from new-ball bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka saw Ireland crawl to 17 for 1 in ten overs. Ismail drew first blood when she cleaned up Leah Paul. Ireland captain Gaby Lewis held one end up and scored her fourth half-century in ODIs. But she kept losing partners until Sophie MacMahon came in.

Lewis and MacMahon added 69 for the fifth wicket before South Africa captain Sune Luus dismissed her opposite number. MacMahon soon followed for 42. However, a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket between Dempsey - who made an unbeaten 45 - and Arlene Kelly helped Ireland inch closer to and eventually go past 200. But it was not to be enough.

Ismail finished with three wickets while Nadine de Klerk had two to show for her efforts.