Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Campher, Balbirnie and Hume ensure Ireland win 2-0

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Sunday, 17 December 2023 08:24

Ireland 204 for 3 (Balbirnie 82*, Campher 40, Mavuta 1-19) beat Zimbabwe 197 (Gumbie 72*, Hume 4-34, Campher 4-37) by 7 wickets (DLS)

Career-best bowling performances from Campher and Graham Hume helped restrict Zimbabwe to 197 in 40 overs before Balbirnie, Campher and Harry Tector knocked off the target with 13 balls to spare in Harare.

Set a DLS-adjusted target of 201 from 40 overs, Ireland lost Paul Stirling early, but a 70-run stand between Balbirnie and Campher meant that the visitors were set to finish their tour of Zimbabwe on a high barring a spectacular collapse.

While Balbirnie struggled to get the ball away in the first ten overs, opting for a more watchful approach on a tricky surface, Campher followed up his half-century from the second ODI with a fluent 40 with six boundaries before a stunning catch from Wellington Masakadza at midwicket denied him consecutive fifties.

Balbirnie continued to hold one end down as Tector then went about being the aggressor as they added another 63 runs to consolidate Ireland's position.

Tector got a leading edge to Sikandar Raza off Luke Jongwe on 33 after Balbirnie reached his half-century off 76 balls, but Balbirnie then shifted gears, hitting 32 runs off his next 26 balls, to complete the chase with ease. A six off a Jongwe slower ball and sweep over short fine leg off Raza were the highlights of an innings which saw Balbirnie grow in confidence. In the process, he became just the fourth Irishman to hit 3000 ODI runs.

Lorcan Tucker hit back-to-back boundaries to crown Ireland winners of both the ODI and T20I series.

Ireland had started well after inserting Zimbabwe as Mark Adair kicked things off with a maiden. Hume gave Ireland the early breakthrough when Tinashe Kamunhukamwe edged him to second slip in the second over and Adair followed it up with another maiden.

But Gumbie and Kaitano dug in to ensure Zimbabwe did not lose any more wickets in the first powerplay, despite a couple of edges evading the slips cordon.

The two steadily added 43 runs before some sharp fielding from Tector at backward point saw him throw the stumps down to send Kaitano packing in the 14th over. Innocent Kaia, back in the side after being dropped in the second ODI due to Ryan Burl's concussion, was out lbw to Campher next over. Raza then joined Gumbie at the crease, but just as they started to milk the spinners Theo van Woerkom and Andy McBrine for some quick runs, rain stopped play.

When the game resumed after a two-hour delay, Zimbabwe were immediately on the front foot. Raza pulled a Theo van Woerkom drag-down for six while Gumbie got a streaky boundary off Craig Young while trying to steer him to deep third.

Gumbie soon got to his second ODI fifty, off 80 deliveries, before Raza swept van Woerkom for four more, to bring up the fifty-run stand for the fourth wicket off 52 balls. The two continued to cash in on anything that was too short or too full, while also rotating strike with regularity.

But Campher broke the innings open by having Raza caught at deep midwicket off a pull before bowling Clive Madande through the gate over for a two-ball duck in the same over. Luke Jongwe and Brandon Mavuta tried to play their shots before they both flicked Hume to George Dockrell at deep square leg in near-identical dismissals.

Gumbie, who played a number of innovative scoops and ramps in his 106-ball 72, was soon run-out as Masakadza tried to run two after pulling Craig Young to long-on. Masakadza hit 24 off 19 to take Zimbabwe close to the 200-run mark, before he holed out trying to clear long-on.

It was a better batting effort after disappointing displays in the first two ODIs, but not enough for Zimbabwe, who now have plenty of ponder as a disappointing streak of results continued.

Abhimanyu Bose is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo

Read 111 times

Soccer

Mo Salah glum on Liverpool future: 'More out than in'

Mo Salah glum on Liverpool future: 'More out than in'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMohamed Salah has said he is yet to receive a formal contract offer...

Galaxy hit 6 to rout Loons; Sounders next in West

Galaxy hit 6 to rout Loons; Sounders next in West

Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic each scored twice -- with one goal in each half -- a...

Amorim: United set for long period of suffering

Amorim: United set for long period of suffering

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRúben Amorim said Manchester United will have to "suffer for a long...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCharlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams sustained season-ending te...

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsScotty Pippen Jr. already had plenty of fond memories of watching h...

Baseball

Woodward returns to Dodgers as first-base coach

Woodward returns to Dodgers as first-base coach

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Chris Woodward has been named first-base coach by th...

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

EmailPrintRico Carty, who won the 1970 National League batting title when he hit a major-league-best...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated