Tabraiz Shamsi's 4-27 ensured a routine 33-run win for South Africa over Ireland to secure a 1-0 series lead in the first bilateral men's T20I between the two sides in Malahide on Monday.
Quinton de Kock's 20 off nine balls threatened a promising start but came to an end as he found Paul Stirling's hands off the bowling of Mark Adair and that laid the foundations for a stuttering first-innings performance from the Proteas.
The visitors lost wickets at regular intervals, with Rassie van der Dussen (25 off 18), Aiden Markram (39 off 30) and David Miller (28 off 21) all showing incentive before failing to capitalise as South Africa reached 165-7, a touch above the average first-innings score of 152 in Malahide.
Simi Singh (2-19), Josh Little (2-27) and Adair (3-39) were the pick of the Ireland bowlers despite the latter being bludgeoned for four consecutive fours by Kagiso Rabada in the 20th over, which leaked 17 runs.
Stirling hoisted George Linde's first ball of Ireland's reply for six but that did not prove a sign of things to come given he was immediately bowled around his legs by the following delivery.
Captain Andy Balbirnie's 22 off 16 balls offered minor resistance as he watched his side struggle to 38-4 at the end of the six-over powerplay, courtesy of two wickets for Lungi Ngidi's wickets and one a piece for Linde and Rabada.
Linde and the world's number-one ranked T20I bowler Shamsi then rolled through the hosts' batting line-up to take 2-26 and 4-27 from their respective allocations and restrict Ireland to 132-9, with Harry Tector's 36 off 34 balls and Barry McCarthy's lower-order cameo of 30 off 25 balls offering the smallest of boosts for Ireland's poor batting showing.
Spin it to win it
Singh's maiden ODI hundred proved in vain in the third ODI defeat for Ireland but he proved his worth with the ball in Malahide, producing an economical four-over spell that saw him go for just one boundary.
Linde enjoyed similar spinning success, though, it was Shamsi who stole the show once again for the Proteas.
The left-arm leg-spinner is the most economical bowler in T20I cricket since the start of 2020 and, barring a trio of wides and two avoidable boundaries, Shamsi displayed his quality as he frequently spun the Ireland batsmen into a tangle.
O'Brien's ominous struggles
After playing five internationals and scoring just 27 runs, including a duck and three single-score returns, in 2021 heading into this match, Kevin O'Brien fell for another first-ball dismissal as he was caught and bowled by Rabada.
Turning out for Leinster Lightning in Ireland's inter-provincial T20 tournament, O'Brien has endured a lean domestic spell, too, managing a meagre 47 runs in six matches with a top score of 16.
O'Brien, scorer of Ireland's only hundred in the shortest limited-overs format, will be desperate to find form before the T20 World Cup gets underway in October.
CWI president Shallow hails Harpy Eagles after gripping Windies Championship campaign
President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow, extended heartfelt congratulations to Guyana Harpy Eagles, who emphasized their remarkable consistency and dedication in topping the just-concluded West Indies Championship.
The Harpy Eagles, who were slow into stride in the four-day cricket campaign, rebounded well in a thrilling showcase of their cricket prowess to retain their title and pocket the US$250,000 prize.
“The Guyana Harpy Eagles have demonstrated immense skills, tactical astuteness, and resilience throughout the tournament, showcasing the true spirit of West Indies cricket," Shallow said.
In a gripping race to the championship, the Harpy Eagles secured a decisive eight-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners, which propelled them to the top of the table with 103.8 points. Their path to victory was charted by key performances from Raymond Perez’s, an unbeaten 79 runs, and skipper Tevin Imlach’s crucial half-century.
Their champion status was confirmed for the seventh time in nine years, after Leeward Islands Hurricane and Windward Islands Volcanoes, played out a hard-fought draw, while Barbados Pride were stunned by CWI Academy.
Dr Shallow lauded the collective efforts of all participating teams.
“The West Indies Championship is the pinnacle of regional cricket and serves as a testament to the rich legacy and tradition of cricket in our region. Therefore, it was only fitting that Cricket West Indies further invested in this level of cricket by increasing the financial winnings to incentivize players further and build interest across the region," Shallow reasoned.
As the cricketing community reflects on the tournament’s outcomes, Dr Shallow expressed optimism for the future of West Indies cricket, as the regional body remains committed to fostering excellence and nurturing talent at all levels.
“The dedication and passion exhibited by our teams reaffirm cricket’s enduring significance and relevance, which we are confident will positively produce more desirable and sustained success at the international level," the CWI president noted.
Final standings
Guyana Harpy Eagles – 103.8
Windward Islands Volcanoes – 98.2
Leeward Islands Hurricanes – 94.0
Barbados Pride – 92.8
TT Red Force – 92.0
West Indies Academy – 71.6
Jamaica Scorpions – 59.4
Combined Campuses and Colleges – 30.2
Roston Chase to be captain West Indies 'A' squad named for historic Nepal tour
Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel has unveiled the 15-member squad for the West Indies Men’s A Team set to tour Nepal from April 25th to May 15th, 2024.
Led by the experienced Roston Chase as Captain and supported by Alick Athanaze as Vice-Captain, the West Indies Men’s A Team will engage in a series of five (5) Twenty20 matches against the Nepal Senior Men’s Team. This tour holds significant importance as it serves as another phase in preparation leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The series also marks a historic occasion as it is West Indies' first-ever tour to Nepal.
Roston Chase will take on the responsibility of captain for the first time at this level. Commenting on Chase’s selection as Captain, Dr. The Most Honorable Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector, emphasized Chase’s consistent display of diligence and leadership skills. Dr. Haynes remarked, “Chase has exhibited over the past few years an impressive work ethic and proven leadership qualities” He further noted, “No doubt since Chase made his T20I debut in October 2021, for the West Indies against Bangladesh he has continued to make considerable strides.”
Brandon King sustained an injury during the West Indies Championship and is rehabilitating. Meanwhile, Evin Lewis advised that he was unavailable for selection.
Dr. Haynes further emphasized the significance of this squad stating “I am confident this Nepal tour marks a crucial step forward in our preparatory phase for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. It presents an invaluable opportunity to get our players who are not in the IPL back on the park playing competitive T20 cricket as well as provides the chance for us to expose a few emerging prospects.”
In preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, White Ball Head Coach, Daren Sammy said “From a coaching perspective, the Nepal tour couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. It offers us a chance to refine our World Cup squad, defining roles and personnel more clearly. Additionally, with nine players in the IPL, we can truly gauge and push the limits of our T20 team’s depth.”
The tour’s opening T20 fixture will bowl off at Tribhuvan University on April 27th, 2024.
FULL SQUAD:
Roston Chase (Captain)
Alick Athanaze (Vice-Captain)
Fabian Allen
Kadeem Alleyne
Joshua Bishop
Keacy Carty
Johnson Charles
Mark Deyal
Andre Fletcher
Matthew Forde
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Keemo Paul
Oshane Thomas
Hayden Walsh
The coaching and support staff accompanying the squad are as follows:
Head Coach: Floyd Reifer
Assistant Coach: Rayon Griffith
Physiotherapist: Neil Barry
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Shayne Cooper
Team Manager & Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram
The deadline for submission of the West Indies World Cup squad is May 1, 2024. Prior to the World Cup, the West Indies team will host South Africa for a 3-match T20 series from May 22 - 26, 2024.
Seales' match figures of 6-90 help Sussex to tense four-wicket win over Gloucestershire
West Indian pacer Jayden Seales was once again a key contributor to help Sussex defeat Gloucestershire by four wickets in their third round County Championship Division Two tussle at Hove from April 19-22.
Gloucestershire looked to be in the driver’s seat after piling up 417 off 108.5 overs after being put in to bat.
James Bracey (69), Ben Charlesworth (62), Zafar Gohar (60) and Miles Hammond (56) all hit fifties for Gloucestershire against 3-69 off 20 overs from Danny Lamb, 3-78 off 16.5 overs from Jack Carson and 2-72 from 24 overs from Seales.
Cheteshwar Pujara (86), Tom Alsop (84), and Danny Lamb (83) then all narrowly missed out on centuries at Sussex wrestled back momentum with a massive 479 off 135.5 overs in their first innings.
Captain John Simpson and Tom Clark also hit fifties with 78 and 53, respectively. Dominic Goodman and Zafar Gohar took three wickets each for Gloucestershire.
With a lead of 62, Sussex, on the back of some excellent bowling from Jayden Seales, restricted Gloucestershire to 205 in 85.2 overs.
In 16.5 overs, Seales conceded just 18 runs and took four wickets. Jack Carson provided good supports with 3-45 from 25 overs.
Mile Hammond and Zafar Gohar both hit their second half centuries of the game with 77 and 52, respectively.
Cheteshwar Pujara then anchored the successful chase for Sussex with 44* as they reached 144-6 in 37.4 overs.
Gohar completed a fine all-round performance with 5-59 from 18.4 overs.
Full Scores: Gloucestershire 417 off 108.5 overs (James Bracey 69, Ben Charlesworth 62, Zafar Gohar 60, Miles Hammond 56, Danny Lamb 3-69, Jack Carson 3-78, Jayden Seales 2-72) & 205 off 85.2 overs (Miles Hammond 77, Zafar Gohar 52, Jayden Seales 4-18, Jack Carson 3-45)
Sussex 479 off 135.5 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 86, Tom Alsop 84, Danny Lamb 83, John Simpson 78, Tom Clark 53, Dominic Goodman 3-79, Zafar Gohar 3-139) & 144-6 off 37.4 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 44, Zafar Gohar 5-59)
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