Ireland survive scare for two-wicket win

HARARE: The third One-day International (ODI) between Ireland and Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club produced another exciting day’s cricket, with Ireland scampering home by just two wickets in a low-scoring thriller on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe’s 187 appeared well under par, particularly when Ireland cruised past 100 with just three wickets down in the 28th over. But Zimbabwe kept chipping away, upping the pressure through two fine spells from spinners Wellington Masakadza and Tino Mutombodzi, as well as some astonishingly good fielding.
Ireland slipped and stumbled to 160 for 8, but No 9 and 10, Andy McBrine and Tim Murtagh, had just enough gas in the tank to get their team over the line with just over three overs to spare.
Score Board
Ireland won toss
Zimbabwe
C J Chibhabha c N O’Brien b Murtagh 4
†R Mutumbami c Porterfield b Young 0
B B Chari b McBrine 17
S C Williams c N O’Brien b Stirling 51
*E Chigumbura c Balbirnie b Murtagh 34
Sikandar Raza b Murtagh 50
C T Mutombodzi run out 3
L M Jongwe run out 8
W P Masakadza c K O’Brien b Murtagh 0
J Nyumbu not out 7
T Muzarabani lbw b K O’Brien 3
Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 8) 10
Total (all out; 49.2 overs) 187
Fall: 1-2, 2-7, 3-56, 4-88, 5-159, 6-164, 7-171, 8-174, 9-175, 10-187
Bowling: Young 10-0-35-1 (4w); Murtagh 10-0-32-4 (2w); Dockrell 10-1-40-0; K O’Brien 4.2-0-14-1; McBrine 10-1-47-1; Stirling 5-0-17-1 (1w)
Ireland
*W T S Porterfield c Sikandar b Muzarabani 20
P R Stirling c Mutumbami b Jongwe 50
E C Joyce c Chari b Masakadza 7
A Balbirnie run out 24
N J O’Brien c Chibhabha b Mutombodzi 1
†G C Wilson c Nyumbu b Mutombodzi 19
K J O’Brien c sub (M Waller) b Masakadza 10
G H Dockrell c Nyumbu b Muzarabani 13
A R McBrine not out 14
T J Murtagh not out 19
Extras (lb 2, w 9, nb 1) 12
Total (8 wickets; 46.5 overs) 189
Did not bat: C A Young
Fall: 1-31, 2-46, 3-94, 4-102, 5-119, 6-140, 7-148, 8-160
Bowling: Muzarabani 9.5-1-43-2 (1nb, 1w); Jongwe 9-1-35-1 (4w); Masakadza 8-1-31-2; Nyumbu 9-0-37-0 (1w); Mutombodzi 10-0-33-2 (1w); Chibhabha 1-0-8-0
Result: Ireland won by 2 wickets
ODI debut: T Muzarabani (Zimbabwe)
Umpires: J D Cloete (South Africa) and R B Tiffin. TV umpire: L Rusere. Match referee: J Srinath (India)