The second T20 international between Ireland and South Africa takes place in Bristol on Friday and after a high scoring series opener the Proteas are 1-0 up
This is just a 2 match series and in Wednesday's match the Proteas came out on top by 21 runs.
South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first and they posted 211/5 with Reeza Hendriks top scoring with 74 off 53 balls, a knock which earned the Man of the Match award. Markram made 56 and cameos at the end of the innings from Stubbs (24) and Pretorius (21 not out) took SA past 200, Markram hit 5 of the 8 maximums. Delaney took 2 wickets but was expensive, McBrine (1/12 from his 2 overs) was the most economical Ireland bowler.
Ireland lost 2 wickets in the power play but Lorcan Tucker, batting at 3, smashed 78 off 38 balls. There was little in the way of support from the middle order before Dockrell hit 43 and the reply closed on 190/9. Ireland hit 11 maximums and Maharaj, Parnell and Shamsi each took 2 wickets with Maharaj (2/29) the most economical.
This was how the teams lined up for the first T20 on Wednesday.
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Gareth Delany, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Andy McBrine, Joshua Little
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj (c), Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Recent Form
Ireland have just completed a 3 match home series against New Zealand and they lost all 3 matches, the first by 31 runs, the second by 88 runs and the third by 6 wickets. Towards the end of June Ireland hosted India and they lost both matches by margins of 7 wickets and then 4 runs.
South Africa have just won a 3 match series in England 2-1. They lost the first contest by 41 runs at this venue but stormed back to square things up with a 58 run victory in Cardiff before coming out on top in the decider by 90 runs at Southampton on Sunday. South Africa were in India in June for a 5 match series. They won the first 2 matches, lost the third and fourth and no result was possible in what would have been a decider and the series was drawn.
Head to Head
Overall the teams have met just 4 times with the Proteas winning all 4. Three of those matches came in a series staged in Ireland in July 2021. The Proteas won the first contest by 33 runs, the second by 42 runs and the third by 49 runs.
County Ground, Bristol
Aside from Wednesday's match the most recent T20 at Bristol came just last week and England beat South Africa by 41 runs. England posted 234/6 (Ngidi 5/39) and the Proteas replied with 193/8 (Stubbs 72 off 28 balls, Hendriks (57 off 33).
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The Betting - 2nd T20 Risk Free First Bet Up to R2,000 back if you don't win
At the time of writing Ireland are 5/1 to win the match and South Africa are 1 / 8
Sterling is 3/1 to top score for Ireland and de Kock is 28/10 to do likewise for South Africa.
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict
We might see a few changes in the Proteas line up and having missed out on Wednesday I think Rilee Rossouw will come back into the side and he is my pick for top SA bat.
Loran Tucker's excellent knock on Wednesday makes him a runner to top score for Ireland.
Bets: Top SA Run Scorer Rilee Rossouw at 7/2
Top Ireland Run Scorer Loran Tucker at 4/1
Risk Free First Bet Up to R2,000 back if you don't win
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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