BELFAST: Ireland secured a 1-1 series draw after beating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in a rain-disrupted third and final One-day International in Belfast on Monday.

Having won the toss and elected to field, Ireland bowled their opponents out for 131 in 34 overs.

Captain Craig Ervine top-scored for the tourists with 57, but there was disappointment for Brendan Taylor, playing his 284th and final international match, as he was bowled for just seven by seamer Joshua Little.

Ervine paid tribute to Taylor and admitted he will leave a huge void to fill.

“Brendan Taylor has been a huge ambassador for the country, a huge loss for us,” said Ervine. “He will leave a hole someone will need to fill in Zimbabwe cricket.”

Rain then left Ireland to chase a revised target of 118 from 32 overs and they eased home with nearly 10 overs to spare with Paul Stirling hitting 43 from just 40 balls.

“It was a complete performance from the team,” said Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie.

Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE:

B.R.M. Taylor b Little 7

R.W. Chakabva b Little 5

C.R. Ervine c Tucker b McBrine 57

W. Madhevere c Stirling b Getkate 16

S.C. Williams b McBrine 4

Sikandar Raza run out 9

R.P. Burl b Simi Singh 5

L.M. Jongwe lbw b McBrine 10

W.P. Masakadza not out 7

B. Muzarabani c Tucker b Little 0

R. Ngarava b Simi Singh 3

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5, NB-1) 8

TOTAL (all out, 34 overs) 131

FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-15, 3-74, 4-83, 5-99, 6-106, 7-117, 8-119, 9-121.

BOWLING: Adair 5-1-10-0 (1w); Little 8-0-33-3 (1nb, 4w); Simi Singh 8-0-35-2; Getkate 5-0-25-1; McBrine 8-2-26-3.

IRELAND:

W. Porterfield c Chakabva b Muzarabani 16

P.R. Stirling c Muzarabani b Ngarava 43

A. Balbirnie c Ervine b Masakadza 34

H.T. Tector mot out 13

G.H. Dockrell not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-9, W-3) 12

TOTAL (for three wkts, 22.2 overs) 118

FALL OF WKTS: 1-48, 2-89, 3-113.

DID NOT BAT: Simi Singh, L.J. Tucker, AM. McBrine, S.C. Getkate, M.R. Adair, J.B. Little.

BOWLING: Muzarabani 7-2-13-1; Ngarava 6-0-33-1 (1w); Jongwe 5-0-40-0 (2w); Burl 2.2-1-14-0; Masakadza 2-0-9-1.

RESULT: Ireland won by seven wickets (DLS Method) to level three-match series 1-1.

UMPIRES: A.J. Neill (Ireland) and P.A. Reynolds (Ireland).

TV UMPIRE: R. Black (Ireland).

MATCH REFEREE: K. Gallagher (Ireland).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Andy McBrine.

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: William Porterfield.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2021