that will be that - a gorgeous drive to finish off a clinical run-chase! Low full toss outside off. Breetzke bends his back knee and creams it between extra cover and mid off. Handshakes and smiles in the South African camp. Ireland, meanwhile, know they have been thoroughly outplayed!
Ireland vs South Africa, 1st T20I at Abu Dhabi, IRE vs SA, Sep 27 2024 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
1st T20I (N), Abu Dhabi, September 27, 2024, Ireland vs South Africa
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Next171/8
(17.4/20 ov, T:172) 174/2
South Africa won by 8 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)
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SA
Full commentary
11:15pm That will be all from us for tonight. These sides will be back at it on Sunday, with Ireland fighting to level the series. Until then, this is goodbye from Chetan and myself. Take care, folks!
Ryan Rickelton, Player of the Match: It was a good wicket but we knew it was going to swing a bit. Wanted to get through that initial phase. New ball can bring runs but also bring wickets. Once it stopped swinging, we decided (to attack more). To get to fifty, it was a nice feeling. Reeza and I always have a bit of competition, nice to have a bit of a go at each other and nice that he could score a few too tonight (smiles). (On trying to finish the game early) We are looking to play really positively. We had ten wickets in the shed, so if we could win as quickly - that was the goal.
Aiden Markram, South Africa captain: Nice to win, been testing times for us. You never take wins for granted and the boys played really well tonight. We finished off really well (with the ball) and the opening partnership was quite special. (On Hendricks) He has been our T20 player of the year for two years on the bounce and people forget those sorts of things. He always does it in his unique way and really chuffed for him to get that score.
Paul Stirling, Ireland captain: We were looking at maybe 190-200. They bowled really well, snuffed us out at the end. After 15 overs, we were well-placed. We probably would have liked to go on and get that 190 score. 170 turned out to be not enough. It is hard to grip the ball with the sweat. The ball slips, a few full tosses come and the batters punished us. We will have to see what to do on Sunday. Good to see some of the youngsters come out and play the way they did. People who have not played a lot of international cricket turned up tonight.
11pm A commanding victory, set up by South Africa's openers, both of whom got fifties. Rickelton did the early running and took advantage at the start, with Hendricks joining soon after. What would have pleased South Africa most, though, was how they kept at it through the middle overs, ultimately putting together a 136--run stand. Breetzke and Markram also spent some time out in the middle and this, arguably, would have been what the Proteas' ideal batting night would have looked like.
Not a lot to celebrate from a bowling POV for Ireland. Humphreys was tidy but apart from him, almost everyone came in for rough treatment. They were unable to hit their lines and lenghts too, and that is something they will need to rectify, especially if they are asked to defend a total again on Sunday.
17.4
4
Adair to Breetzke, FOUR runs
17.3
•
Adair to Breetzke, no run
very full just outside off. Breetzke opens his bat face but cannot get it past backward point
17.3
1w
Adair to Breetzke, 1 wide
full and way outside off. Left alone by Breetzke and called a wide
17.2
1
Adair to Markram, 1 run
slower ball on a full length outside off. Markram drills it towards sweeper cover
17.1
•
Adair to Markram, no run
thigh-high full toss on the stumps. Markram stabs it towards backward point. Ireland have bowled quite a few of these - another indication of heavy dew
Mark Adair to bowl what could be the last over of this game. Markram on strike
end of over 1712 runs
SA: 168/2CRR: 9.88 • RRR: 1.33 • Need 4 runs from 18b
Matthew Breetzke15 (12b 1x4 1x6)
Aiden Markram16 (10b 3x4)
Fionn Hand 3-0-38-0
Ben White 3-0-35-0
16.6
•
Hand to Breetzke, no run
juicy full toss outside off but Breetzke misses out. Drives it straight to backward point
16.5
6
Hand to Breetzke, SIX runs
right out of the screws! Dug into the track outside off but this sits up just how Breetzke wants it. Stands up tall and clatters it over deep mid wicket!
16.4
1
Hand to Markram, 1 run
full toss on middle and leg. Dips late and Markram cloths it off the toe-end towards long on
16.3
4
Hand to Markram, FOUR runs
surgical precision! On a short of a length outside off and seems to nip back in too. Markram, though, opens his bat face at the right time and steers it between backward point and short third!
16.2
•
Hand to Markram, no run
oh dear! Slower ball that goes wrong and ends up as a high full toss outside off. Markram swishes at it, misses and immediately looks at the square leg umpire. No ball not given. Could have easily been given, though
16.1
1
Hand to Breetzke, 1 run
full toss outside off. Breetzke reaches out for it and drives it towards deep point
end of over 167 runs
SA: 156/2CRR: 9.75 • RRR: 4.00 • Need 16 runs from 24b
Matthew Breetzke8 (9b 1x4)
Aiden Markram11 (7b 2x4)
Ben White 3-0-35-0
Matthew Humphreys 4-0-28-0
15.6
1
White to Breetzke, 1 run
missed chance! Googly on a back of a length on off. Breetzke jams it off the inside edge towards mid wicket and sets off for a non-existent single. The fielder rushes in, dives and under-arms it at the stumps. Misses and lets Breetzke off the hook. That was a dreadful call
15.5
•
White to Breetzke, no run
short outside off again. Breetzke cannot beat the fielder at extra cover with his back-foot punch
15.4
•
White to Breetzke, no run
back of a length just outside off. Breetzke hangs back and dabs it towards backward point
Just 17 needed now
15.3
4
White to Breetzke, FOUR runs
short, wide and punished! Breetzke has all the time in the world to rock back, get his hands through the ball and bludgeon it past extra cover!
15.2
1
White to Markram, 1 run
tossed up full on off. Markram stretches forward and nudges it into the cover region for an easy single
15.1
1
White to Breetzke, 1 run
shortish outside off. Eased out to sweeper cover
Here's White for his third
end of over 1510 runs
SA: 149/2CRR: 9.93 • RRR: 4.60 • Need 23 runs from 30b
Aiden Markram10 (6b 2x4)
Matthew Breetzke2 (4b)
Matthew Humphreys 4-0-28-0
Mark Adair 3-0-25-1
14.6
4
Humphreys to Markram, FOUR runs
four more! Darted in on a length on middle and off. Markram unfurls the reverse and slams it through the vacant short third region!
14.5
•
Humphreys to Markram, no run
back of a length on off. Markram goes back and plays it towards extra cover
14.4
1
Humphreys to Breetzke, 1 run
length outside off. Breetzke gets across his stumps and paddles it towards deep backward square leg
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Win Probability
SA 100%
IRESA100%50%100%
Over 18 • SA 174/2
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