Tector stars as Ireland win thriller to tie series
A SUPERB team performance propelled Ireland to victory over Zimbabwe by four wickets, in a final-over thriller in Harare yesterday.
This levels the three-match T20 International series and, like Thursday’s opener, it went to the wire, Ireland requiring seven off the last six balls.
Mark Adair (19) was caught out on the boundary, however George Dockrell (16) sealed the win with a boundary just moments after he had been dropped in the field.
Six of Ireland’s batters reached double figures – Harry Tector top-scoring with 48.
Paul Stirling, who won the toss and put Zimbabwe into bat, was rewarded when Adair struck with his second delivery, trapping Marumani lbw.
Adair struck again with the last ball of the third over, removing Wessly Madhevere (9) with a bouncer, thanks to a catch by Andrew Balbirnie.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 39, before Gareth Delany got him out, with Zimbabwe 77-4.
A sixth-wicket partnership of 86 between left-hander Ryan Burl (38 not out) and righthander Clive Madande (44 not out) saw Zimbabwe post a total of 165-5 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Ireland’s opening pair fell cheaply, Lorcan Tucker (12) then fell to Trevor Gwandu, but Tector dug in, and alongside Curtis Campher, kept the scoreboard ticking over moving onto 84-3 at the midway point of the innings.
After 14 overs, Ireland were ahead of the hosts score at the same stage of their innings.
Campher’s 66-run partnership with Tector looked to have set the table for an Irish victory.
But Richard Ngarava knocked Tector’s middle stump, as momentum swung back in Zimbabwe’s favour.
With Ireland requiring 37 runs off the final four overs Adair joined Dockrell in the middle. They combined for 30 runs to leave Ireland sure of victory, and Dockrell supplied the finish with two balls to spare.
The two teams will meet again today at 11am, at the same venue, to decide the series.
SECOND T20: Zimbabwe 165-5 (20 overs; C Madand 44*, T. Kamunhukamwe 39; M Adair 228), Ireland 166-6 (19.4 overs; H Tector 48, C Campher 37; 2-33 R Ngarava). Ireland won by 4 wickets.