IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Commentary - Stormont (13 September 2021)

FOUR! Thumped! Short and on middle, Harry Tector rocks back and pulls it away to deep mid-wicket for a boundary. 

There it is! Floated it up, outside off. Harry Tector punches it off the back foot towards point for a single. Ireland win by 7 wickets, via the DLS method.

On off, pushed towards covers. 

Short and on middle, Balbirnie taps it to point.

EDGED AND FOUR! Loopy ball, on middle. Andy Balbirnie gets low and tries to sweep. The ball goes off the top edge towards fine leg for a boundary. Just 5 needed now. 

OUT! TAKEN! Loopy ball on off. Andy Balbirnie looks to go over covers but instead lifts it straight to the extra cover fielder where Craig Ervine takes a simple catch. A really soft dismissal. This won't bother Ireland though. 

Full and on middle, Dockrell presses forward to block it.

Outside off, Dockrell taps it to point.

DROPPED! Full and on off, Harry Tector presses forward and drives it straight to the extra cover fielder. Wellington Masakadza dives to his right but spills down an easy catch. 

On middle, pushed back to the bowler.

Short and on middle, tucked to mid-wicket. 

Outside off, Harry Tector swings but misses. 

Short again, on middle and leg. Tector tucks it on the leg side. 

A maiden! Loopy ball, outside off. Harry Tector pushes it to cover.

Full and on off, Tector pushes it to mid off. 

Tossed up on off, Tector drives it towards covers for one.

Loopy ball, on off. Andy Balbirnie eases it down to long off for a single.

On off, tapped to cover for a quick single. The fielder throws the ball to the keeper who whips the bails off but Andy Balbirnie is well in.

Floated it up, outside off. Andy Balbirnie works it through point for a single.

Full and on off, pushed to long off for a single. 9 runs needed now. 

Full and on off, driven to cover.

Floated it up, on middle. Harry Tector punches it off the back foot towards covers for a single.

FOUR! Cracking shot! Short and outside off, Andy Balbirnie rocks back and cuts it late past backward point to collect a boundary. 100 up for Ireland. 

Loopy ball, on off. Andy Balbirnie drives it through covers for a single this time.

Flighted ball on off, Harry Tector rocks back and clips it through mid-wicket. The fielder gives it a chase and cuts it off right before the ball crosses the cushions. Three runs taken.

On off, pushed towards covers. 

FOUR! Slapped away! Good-length ball, outside off. Paul Stirling throws his hands to it and slashes it through cover-point for a boundary. 

OUT! CAUGHT! Back of a length, on off. Paul Stirling looks to pull but miscues it big time. The ball goes off the top edge and skies up high in the air. It takes a lot of time for the ball to come down. Blessing Muzarabani keeps his eyes and completes the catch at mid-wicket. 

Length ball on off, Andy Balbirnie drives it to cover.

FOUR! Nicely played! Short of a length, on leg. Andy Balbirnie tickles it to fine leg for a boundary. 

Outside off, tapped to cover-point for a tight single. 

On a length, on off. Harry Tector guides it to third man. The fielder there does well to dive to his left and stop the ball. Only a single. 23 needed now from 84 balls.

FOUR! Beauty! Full and on leg, Paul Stirling makes room for himself and plays an inside-out shot. He lifts it over covers for a boundary. 

Short and outside off, Paul Stirling leaves it alone. Wide called for height.

A full toss on middle, pushed back to the bowler.

Back of a length, on middle. Paul Stirling hops and pushes it to covers for a single.

Length ball on middle. Andy Balbirnie defends it back to the bowler.

Absolute jaffa! Good-length ball on middle and leg, jagging in. Andy Balbirnie is caught at the crease and looks to defend with a full face of the bat but misses. The ball whizzes past the outside edge and carries through to the keeper.

Length ball, outside off. Andy Balbirnie stabs it to cover.

Good-length ball, outside off, angling away. Andy Balbirnie slashes and misses. 

FOUR LEG BYES! Short ball on middle, Andy Balbirnie looks to pull but misses. He gets hit on the helmet. The ball goes off the helmet towards the fine leg region for a boundary. 

Good-length ball, angling in, on leg. Andy Balbirnie looks to flick but gets hit on the pads. That hurt him but he is fine and is up on his feet. 

On off, Balbirnie pushes it to cover. 

Full and on off, driven towards mid off. 

FOUR! Nicely done! Full again, outside off. Andy Balbirnie steers it through covers. The fielder from the deep dives to his right to stop the ball but in vain. The ball wins the race to the boundary. 

NOT OUT! Fuller in length, angling in, on middle and leg. Paul Stirling looks to play across the line but misses. He gets hit on the front pad. Luke Jongwe puts up a loud appeal for an LBW and the umpire raises his finger. Paul Stirling immediately goes for a review. UltraEdge shows there is no bat involved. Ball Tracker shows wickets missing. Ireland retain their review and the on-field decision will be overturned. 

Short of a length, on off. Paul Stirling comes down the track and works it to mid-wicket for a single. 

On a length, on off. Andy Balbirnie taps it to point.

On the pads, Andy Balbirnie clips it off his hips through mid-wicket. The fielder gives it a chase and keeps it down to three runs. 

Fuller in length, on off. Paul Stirling blocks it out. 

Full and on off, Stirling whips it through mid-wicket. Huge gap on the leg side and an easy two. 

Good-length ball, angling in on off. Paul Stirling looks to work it on the leg side but misses. 

On middle, Stirling pulls it towards deep square leg for a single.

Good-length ball, on middle. Andy Balbirnie shoulders arms to that one. 

Good-length ball, outside off. Andy Balbirnie lets it sail through. 

Fuller in length, on middle. Andy Balbirnie drives it straight down the ground. The fielder from mid on cuts it off inside the ropes. Keeps it down to two runs. 

Outside off, left alone by Balbirnie. 

Full and straight, pushed back to the bowler who makes a great stop.

Length ball, on the hips. Andy Balbirnie tucks it behind the corner on the leg side and picks up a couple.

Full and straight again. Balbirnie digs it out to the bowler.

On a length outside off and this one jags back in a long way. Andy Balbirnie makes an assured leave.

Pitched up, on off and Andy Balbirnie drives it on the up. The fielder at cover makes a half-stop and they race back for the second.

FOUR! This time Andy Balbirnie gets it through. On off and a glorious cover drive from the skipper for a boundary.

Pitched up, around off and Stirling looks to defend. He gets beaten again and Blessing Muzarabani has bowled magnificently well today.

NOT OUT! Muzarabani bowls a length ball angling in on middle and leg. Paul Stirling wlaks right across in front of the stumps and misses the ball completely. The ball hits the pads and up goes the finger. Stirling reviews it straightaway and the ball was indeed missing leg stump.

Length ball, outside off and slashed away to deep point for a run.

Length again, on off and nipping back in. Andy Balbirnie gets caught on the crease and gets rapped on the pads. An appeal for LBW is turned down.

This is a great delivery from Blessing Muzarabani. A quick ball, around off and takes off from a length. Andy Balbirnie is bamboozled by it.

Sliding down the leg side, Balbirnie looks to flick but misses. The ball takes the pads and the keeper dives to his left but can't reach it. They get a leg bye down to fine leg.

Stirling steps out of the crease and nudges the length ball to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Length ball, around off stump. Andy Balbirnie looks a bit twitchy as he gets beaten once again.

Length again, on off and nipping back in sharply. Andy Balbirnie gets rapped on the pads and Luke Jongwe with a huge appeal. The umpire shakes his head.

Edged and safe. Full and wide, Balbirnie thrashes at it and gets an outside edge. The ball flies past backward point and they take a single. Fifty is up for Ireland.

Outside off and Stirling looks to drive. The ball beats him at the outside edge.

WIDE! Length ball, angling down leg. Paul Stirling walks right across the stumps to flick it but misses. Wide called.

Good-length ball, outside off. Paul Stirling punches it off the back foot through point for a single.

Good-length ball, on middle and angling away. Porterfield opens the face of the bat and plays it to the right of backward point, where Ryan Burl makes a good stop.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Blessing Muzarabani has provided the breakthrough for Zimbabwe. Good-length ball, on off and angling away from the left-hander. William Porterfield has a poke at it and the extra bounce does the trick. The ball takes the outside edge of the bat of Porterfield and Regis Chakabva takes a simple catch behind the stumps.

Length ball, outside off and left alone by Andy Balbirnie.

BEAUTY! Length again, angled in around off and straightens in the end. Andy Balbirnie does well not to edge that one.

Nicely bowled again, on a driving length outside off and nipping in off the surface. Balbirnie looks to drive on the up but gets beaten.

Length again, on off. Andy Balbirnie defends this one out. A wicket-maiden over from Blessing Muzarabani.

Full and swinging in on middle and leg. This one cannons into the pads as William Porterfield misses the flick. An appeal from the bowler but turned down.

Full and straight, pushed down the ground for a single.

Ngarava hits the deck hard on middle stump. Paul Stirling defends it out.

SIX! THUMPED! Pitched up, on off. Paul Stirling just frees his arms and lifts it over the bowler's head for a maximum. He wants to finish this off as soon as possible.

WIDE! Short ball, way down the leg side. Stirling looks to pull but misses. Wided.

Back of a length, on off. Stirling hops on the back foot to defend.

FOUR! Striling slashes and slashes hard. Short and wide and hit over point for a boundary.

Back of a length, on off and angling into the body. Stirling is unable to get out of the way off that and gets hit on the arms.

Good-length ball, on off. Stirling defends it under his eyeline.

Banged into the deck, on off and Paul Stirling gets right on top of the bounce to keep it out.

Full and straight, kept out by Stirling.

This one is short and wide, Paul Stirling misses out on that one as he hits hit straight to point.

Back of a length, around off, this one whizzes past the bat of Stirling. Maiden over from Blessing Muzarabani.

Length ball, outside off. Porterfield lashes at it and the ball goes through gully towards third man. They get a run.

FOUR! Up and over from Paul Stirling. In the slot and Stirling muscles it over extra cover and into the fence.

FOUR! That went like a tracer bullet. Short and wide, Stirling slaps it past point and into the fence once again.

CLOSE! Fullish ball, on middle and nipping back in. Paul Stirling doesn't move his feet and gets caught on the crease. The ball raps him on the pads and there's a huge appeal from the visitors. The umpire shakes his head.

SIX! WOW! In the slot once again from Jongwe and Paul Stirling doesn't let it go unpunished. Stirling leans into the shot and swings his arms freely. He hits it back over the bowler's head and way back over the fence.

Pitched up, on off and Stirling looks to cover drive. He gets an inside edge past the stumps and towards fine leg. They get one and Ireland are 36/0 at the end of the Powerplay.

Good-length ball, on off. Porterfield taps it back onto the deck.

Back of a length and jags back in at middle and leg. William Porterfield defends it off the back foot.

On a length and on off. William Porterfield punches it off the back foot to the cover region for a run.

Around off and Stirling taps it on the off side. He is yet to get off the mark.

Shortish ball, on middle. Paul Stirling comes up with a short-arm jab over square leg for a couple of runs.

Ngarava puts in a bit of extra effort and bangs it in around off stump. Paul Stirling looks to carve it over point but the ball just whizzes past.

Here comes the release shot from William Porterfield. Pitched up and lifted over mid on for a couple.

Length ball on off and angling away. Left alone by Porterfield.

Length ball, on middle. Porterfiled works it towards deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Banged in on middle stump. William Porterfield looks to pull it hard but gets it off the toe end of the bat and the ball goes nowhere.

Length again, outside off and crunched through covers. The ball seems to be heading into the fence but Sean Williams dives in to cut it off. The batters get three in the end.

Right on the money. Length ball, on middle. Paul Stirling defends it out.

Slightly pitched up, on off and hurrying onto the batter. Porterfield keeps it out on the off side.

Length ball, angled in on middle and leg, cramps Porterfield for romm as he looks to tuck it away.

BEAUTY! An efoort ball from Ngarava, around off stump. That one bounced a bit more and went through to the keeper in a flash. William Porterfield had no idea about it.

On a good length and on off. William Porterfield defends it out. The Zimbabwe bowlers are putting pressure on William Porterfield and not allowing him to rotate the strike.

Short ball, on middle. Porterfield pulls it away to fine leg and gets off strike.

Pitched up, on leg stump and that one jags back in. Paul Stirling looks to flick but gets caught on the crease and the ball hits him on the pads.

Pitched up, around off and moving away. Porterfield doesn't play at it.

Back of a length, on off. Porterfield taps it to point off the back foot.

Nicely bowled again from Muzarabani. Good-length ball, around off and this one straightens a bit. William Porterfield leaves it alone.

Length again, on leg stump this time. Porterfield looks to flick but misses and the ball hits him high on the pads.

Around off and tapped to cover-point.

Length ball, around off. Porterfield nudges it down to third man for a single. Just the one of the over.

Ngarava starts off with a good-length ball, in that corridor of uncertainty. Porterfield looks to have a poke at it but gets beaten.

Back of a length, well outside off. Easy leave for William Porterfield.

Short of a length, around off. William Porterfield looks to pull but gets an inside edge back onto the pads. A missed opportunity he'll feel.

Length ball, around off and angling in. William Porterfield with an assured leave.

Back of a length and this is punched off the back foot nicely. Porterfield gets it through point but the ball is slowing down due to the wet outfield. They do get three runs.

Good-length ball on middle. Paul Stirling negotiates it well.

FOUR LEG BYES! Muzarabani starts with a loosener down leg, William Porterfield looks to tuck but misses. The ball goes off the thigh pad and runs away into the fine leg fence. Ireland are up and running.

Banged hard into the pitch, around off and going away from the left-hander. Too good for William Porterfield to play at that.

Length ball, on middle. Porterfield blocks it out.

Pitched up this time, on off. Porterfield bunts it towards mid off for a quick single.

Length ball, around off and shaping in a bit. Well left by Stirling.

Good-length ball, around off and whizzing past the outside edge of Paul Stirling's bat.