Ireland 195 for 4 in 40.2 overs (Balburni 65, Porterfield 63, Rabada 2-43) vs South Africa
An 87-run second wicket stand between William Porterfield and Andy Balbirnie anchored
Ireland and put them in a solid position before incessant rain washed away the first ODI at Malahide.
Rain delayed the start of the match by 45 minutes, and there was another 75-minute break after the 35th over of Ireland's innings. The match was reduced to 43 overs at that time, but only 32 balls were played, as rain returned and the cut-off for a DLS-adjusted chase of 20 overs continued at 5.30.
Amid a heavy cloud, Temba Bavuma opted to bowl first in the hope that conditions would help his attack run through their hosts, but despite significant seam pace and a few turns, wickets were hard to come by. Ireland had a lot on hand but their scoring rate remained calm until they returned after the break of the first rain. After this, he scored 50 runs in 32 balls before the rain came once again.
Porterfied, who had a finger injury suspected in the lead-up to the match, scored his first half-century since May 2019, while Balbirnie scored his second half-century in three innings. The pair were steady against the three-seam, two-spin South African outfit, who were economical without being overly aggressive.
South Africa's new ball pair, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi questioned the Ireland openers, beat them several times and took the lead in the first 10 overs. With no wickets to show for it, they must have been disappointed as Ireland scored 28 for no loss.
Ireland's first boundary came off the outside edge of Porterfield when he was caught for a short by Rabada and Aiden Markram missed a chance at second slip. His second limitation was more convincing. Porterfield tries a yorker from Rabada through square leg. It took a little longer for Paul Stirling to settle after the outer edge of the Rabada and the inside edge of the Ngidi. His first confident stroke came on the 20th ball, when he pulled Ngidi over short midwicket.
Andile Phehlukwayo, who did not feature in any T20Is in the Caribbean, was introduced in the 11th over and was the only South African to have a breakthrough till the 31st over. He caught Sterling at extra-cover, topping a bridge to end an innings that was never really going.
Keshav Maharaj was brought into the attack before Tabrez Shamsi and Porterfield identified him as the bowler to target. He hit a boundary off the second ball of Maharaj and tried to land the last ball of the over, but was dismissed by Rabada at short third. Balbirnie completed Ireland's fifty with a drive through cover, but could have been dismissed five overs later. He was 15 when he tried to cut Maharaj's ball that was not short or wide and was over the top for Markram at the slips. Markram tries to take a chest-high catch reverse-cupped and the ball slips out of his hands.
Shamsi was brought on in the 21st over and started with a full toss which was swung through mid-wicket by Porterfield. He scored a half-century at backward square leg facing the 69th ball and with almost half an innings left to bat, may have eyed the 12th but fell short of 37. Shamsi was convinced that Porterfield had made a reverse-sweep that leapt behind the wicket-keeper and was caught running from slip by Markram, and South Africa reviewed. Replays confirmed contact between the ball and the gloves.
South Africa hoped they would have another one when Balbirnie, 48, attempted to sweep Maharaj, who dropped the pad in his chin. Maharaj convinced Bavuma to review. Replays showed that the ball had brushed the top edge before hitting the pad. Balbirnie completed his second half-century in three ODI innings when he struck Ngidi for two.
At the end of that over, the rain made a comeback and reduced the match to 43 overs per side. Ireland had eight overs to bat and their intention was clear to pick up the pace. Balbirnie drilled Shamsi through cover and drove a Phehlukwayo slow ball through third man before dodging Rabada to midwicket, while Harry Tector hit the first six of the innings when he sent Rabada to deep midwicket but the latter Caught behind two balls.
Pinch-hitter Mark Adair cleared the rope twice more, first with a cheeky improvisation as he opened the face of the bat to ramp Ngidi to over point and then threw Rabada off the ground. It was a drizzle after 25 minutes with Ireland due to face 16 balls, and finally, that was it.