IRE vs ZIM 5th T20I Commentary - Bready (04 September 2021)

SWING AND A MISS! On a length, outside off. Little looks to go after it but misses. A dot to start the final over.

A length ball, on off. Little slashes it towards cover. The fielder there makes a half stop. The batters decide to take two and they do it comfortably.

Good-length ball, outside off. Little hangs back and looks to cut it away but misses.

A length ball, on off. Little moves across and works it towards square leg for a single.

This is a great delivery from Richard Ngarava. A full-length ball, outside off. Young looks to heave it away but misses. 

OUT! RUN OUT! Richard Ngarava has defended 8 runs in the last over. A length ball, on off. Young comes across and looks to flick it away. The ball rolls out back to the bowler of the outer half. The batters take off for a single. Richard Ngarava charges on the ball, collects and scores a direct hit at the striker's end. Little was short of the crease and Ireland are all out for 119. Zimbabwe win the game by 5 runs.

OUT! RUN OUT! Mark Adair's desperation to get on strike has cost him his wicket. A full-length ball, on off. Young plays it straight and the bowler gets down to stop it. Mark Adair is backing up too far ahead and Jongwe throws the ball back onto the stumps in a flash. No chance for Adair to get back in and the umpire has to make an easy decision. Is that the final nail in the coffin for Ireland?

Play and a miss! A length ball, outside off. Young looks to go after it but misses.

A short ball, on off. Young looks to pull it away but misses.

SIX! HUGE! Craig Young certainly showing this game is not over. Full-length ball and on off. Young gets under it and smokes it over the long on fence for a maximum.

A length ball, on off. Young pushes it through cover for a couple.

Full and outside off. Young stays back and drives it through cover. The ball goes past the diving fielder at cover. The batters take two more. 9 runs needed in 6 balls. 

Full length and on off. McBrine slashes it towards sweeper cover for a single.

A length ball, on off. Adair works it to cover for a single.

A length ball, on off. McBrine steers it towards third man.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ireland are eight down now. Andy McBrine looks to go big but he does not middle it. A length ball, on the pads. Andy McBrine whips it across the line. The ball goes towards deep mid-wicket. Tadiwanashe Marumani, the substitute fielder, gulps it down. Ireland slip further.

A length ball, on the pads. Adair flicks it to square leg for a single.

A length ball, on off. Young defends it to cover and gets a single.

A length ball, on off. Adair pulls it to square leg for a single.

WIDE! A length ball, down leg. McBrine leaves it alone. Wide called.

A length ball, on off. McBrine works it towards point and takes off for a single.

A length ball, on the pads. Adair tucks it towards square leg for a single.

On a length, outside off. Adair looks to chase it but misses.

BEATEN! A length ball, just outside off. Adair looks to defend it out but misses. The ball zips past the outside edge.

A length ball, on off. Adair defends it out.

A length ball, on off. Adair pulls it towards square leg.

Play and a miss! On a length, outside off. Adair looks to chase it but misses.

A length ball, on off. Adair looks to pull it away but only manages to get an inside edge. The ball goes towards mid-wicket.

A length ball, on off. Adair works it to cover for a single.

BEATEN! On a length, outside off. McBrine looks to defend it out but misses. The ball beats the outside edge.

A length ball, in the pads. McBrine flicks it to the leg side.

Length ball, outside off. McBrine plays it behind backward point and gets a run.

Length again, around off. Mark Adair looks to have a poke at it but gets beaten.

Slower ball, bowled on a good length and on off stump. Mark Adair waits for it and then works it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Back of a length, on off. McBrine guides it down to third man for a run.

Fullish delivery, on middle. Adair swings it away to deep mid-wicket and picks up a run.

Length ball, on leg stump. McBrine tucks it on the leg side.

Short and wide. Andy McBrine hops back and cuts it to deep point for one.

Slower ball, on a length around off. Rock taps it to point.

Length ball, outside off. Neil Rock gets it past the infield on the off side for a run.

Fullish delivery, around off. McBrine nudges it to third man for one.

OUT! CAUGHT! Neil Rock was looking good, but he has thrown it away. Short ball, on middle and Rock looks to pull it over the mid-wicket fence. Rock gets it off the upper part of the bat and hits it straight down the throat of the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Tadiwanashe Marumani takes a fine catch and Zimbabwe will feel much better now. This game is on a knife edge.

Length ball, on the pads. Andy McBrine flicks it to fine leg for a single.

A touch short and wide. Getkate cuts it straight to point.

Flatter one, on off. Getkate taps it back to the bowler.

Shortish ball, outside off. Getkate cuts it to deep point for a run.

Tossed up, straying on the pads. Rock tucks it behind square for a single.

OUT! LBW! Wellington Masakadza has broken the stand. Masakadza darts this one in on middle and leg. Shane Getkate shuffles across and looks to work it on the leg side, but the ball stays a bit low and Getkate ends up playing all around it. The ball raps Getkate on the pads and it's a simple decision for the umpire.

A touch shorter, on off. McBrine works it to deep cover for one.

Full and straight. Getkate drills it down to long on for a run.

Back of a length, around off. Rock plays it off the back foot towards point for one.

Slower delivery, banged into the pitch and outside off. Getkate doesn't play at it.

SIX! BANG! Slower one again, this time it's on a length and on off stump. Shane Getkate waits for it and then lifts it over the long off fence for a biggie.

NO BALL! A quick bumper, on middle and leg. Getkate pulls it to deep square leg for a single. A no ball is called for a second bumper in the over. Free Hit to follow.

Rock could not capitalize over the Free Hit. Tiripano serves a length ball, on middle. Rock lofts it over mid-wicket and gets a couple.

Length again, around off. Rock lifts it over the cover region for another couple.

Loopy ball, around off. The ball turns away off the pitch. Shane Getkate prods and looks to defend it out but is beaten by the turn. Regis Chakabva collects the ball and clips the bails quickly. But Getkate had his back leg planted inside the crease.

Short and outside off. Getkate cuts it to point.

Short and wide. Getkate cuts it off the back foot to deep point for a run.

Tossed up on middle. Rock flicks it to deep mid-wicket for one.

A touch short and Getkate punches it off the back foot on the off side.

Flatter one, on off. Getkate hops back and plays it towards cover for a run.

Floated and outside off. Getkate punches it towards point for another single.

Darted on the pads. Rock tucks it to square leg for a single.

Flatter and on off. Getkate defends it back to the bowler.

Floated and on off. Getkate hits it hard towards cover but straight to the fielder.

On the pads. Getkate flicks it to square leg for a single.

FOUR! Nicely played. Full and on off. Rock hangs back and lifts it towards long on. The ball goes into the boundary on a bounce. He moves to 14.

Floated full and on off. Rock slashes it to sweeper cover for a single.

Tossed up and on off. Getkate goes back and works it to cover for a single.

Looped up full and on off. Rock prods and defends it back to the bowler.

FOUR! What a shot. It is his first boundary in international cricket. Floated full and on off. Rock gets under it and lifts it over mid off. The ball ends up in the boundary.

WIDE! Loopy ball, down leg. Rock leaves it alone. Wide called.

Full and on off. Rock drills it to long on for a single.

Short and outside off. Getkate cuts it through point for a single.

FIVE WIDES! A full-length ball, down leg. Rock stays inside the crease and looks to flick it away but misses. The ball goes past the keeper and into the boundary at fine leg. Wide called.

LEG BYE! A touch short, on the pads. Rock looks to clip it away but misses. The ball goes to square leg off the pads. The batters collect a leg bye.

Play and a miss! A length ball, outside off. William McClintock looks to go after it but misses.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ireland are in a spot of bother at the moment. Richard Ngarava gets his first wicket of the game. Half of the Irish side has been sent back. Back of a length and on off. William McClintock skips down the track and looks to heave it away. The ball takes the outside edge and flies high in the air. The ball goes towards point. Wesley Madhevere settles under it and takes a good catch.

On the pads. Rock tucks it to square leg for a single.

A length ball, on off. Getkate comes down the track and pushes it to cover.

Full and on off. Getkate drives it to extra cover.

Full and on the pads. Rock tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR BYES! On a length, around off. The ball nips in off the pitch. William McClintock stays back and looks to defend it out but misses. The ball goes past the diving effort of the keeper as well. The ball goes in the boundary at fine leg.

Full and on off. William McClintock pushes it to cover.

A length ball, on off. William McClintock works it towards mid on.

On a length, outside off. William McClintock cuts it towards point for a single.

A length ball, round off. Rock pushes it to cover and takes off for a single.

Full length and on off. Tector pushes it to cover.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust. Donald Tiripano is jumping in joy. He gets his second wicket of the game. He serves a full-length ball, outside off. The ball shapes away a bit off the pitch. Tector stays back and looks to push it to the off side without any movement of the feet. The ball kisses the outside edge and goes towards the man at first slip. Dion Myers there pouches it with ease.

On a length, outside off. William McClintock looks to defend it out but misses. The ball zips past the outside edge.

Slightly short and outside off. William McClintock looks to cut it away. He gets an inside edge and the ball bounces back on the deck.

FOUR! PULLED AWAY! William McClintock gets off the mark in some style. A touch short, on off. William McClintock stays back and pulls it through square leg. The ball races away to the boundary.

FOUR! Two in a row! William McClintock is on a roll. A length ball, on off. William McClintock slashes it through covers. The ball ends up in the boundary.

FOUR! Pitched up, on off. Paul Stirling shuffles across and hits it inside-out over extra cover and into the fence.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries! Fullish delivery, around off. Paul Stirling hangs back and creams it through backward point for another boundary.

OUT! CAUGHT! Luke Jongwe has got the big fish! Pitched up, on off and inviting the drive. Paul Stirling looks to make it a hat-trick of fours as he drives it on the up but manages to find Milton Shumba at cover. Milton Shumba takes a smart catch to his left as the reaction time was very less. Ireland have been dealt a heavy blow and Luke Jongwe is on top of the world at the moment.

Length ball, wide outside off. Neil Rock doesn't play at it.

Length again, angling across the left-hander. Neil Rock lets it through to the keeper.

Full and wide. Rock looks to drives but misses.

Back of a length, on the hips. Stirling tucks it round the corner for a single.

Length ball, on middle. Balbirnie flicks it off the back foot towards deep mid-wicket and gets off the mark with a couple.

Length again, around middle. Andy Balbirnie pushes it towards deep mid-wicket for another two.

Length ball, on middle and leg. Balbirnie blocks it out.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Donald Tiripano has sent the Irish skipper back to the pavilion. Length ball, around off and this one shapes away. Andy Balbirnie gets squared up and ends up getting a faint edge on it. Regis Chakabva takes a simple catch behind the stumps. Zimbabwe are well and truly in this match now.

Length ball, on off. Tector plays it towards cover.

SIX! EASY! Short ball, on middle but not short enough. Paul Stirling hangs back and swings it over the square leg fence with the utmost ease.

A touch fuller, outside off and just shaping in a bit. Stirling looks to drive but inside-edges it back onto the deck.

Length ball, on off. Stirling stays solid in defense.

Fullish delivery, angled in on middle and leg. Stirling flicks it to mid-wicket.

Full, on off. Stirling drives it to wide of mid off for a quick single.

OUT! BOWLED! Luke Jongwe with a brilliant piece of skill. Jongwe bowls a slower one, on a length and around off. Kevin O'Brien doesn't pick it up at all as he is through his drive way too early. The ball goes through the gap between bat and pad and knocks off the bail on off stump. First one down for Ireland.

PEACH! Ngarava starts off with a pitched up delivery, bowled into the channel around off stump. Kevin O'Brien is comprehensively beaten.

Back of a length, but again stays close to the off stump and cramps Kevin O'Brien for room. O'Brien looks to defend but gets beaten again.

Length ball, on off. Kevin O'Brien looks to pull off the back foot but misses it and gets hit on the shoulder.

FOUR! CLASSY! Fuller delivery, on off stump. Kevin O'Brien just pushes it through mid-wicket and the ball races into the boundary.

Good-length delivery, on middle. O'Brien blocks it out.

A touch short and wide. Kevin O'Brien punches it off the back foot but straight to cover.

Muzarabani starts off with a gentle half volley on the pads. Paul Stirling and Ireland are up and running. Stirling pushes it to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Length ball, on the pads. Stirling tucks it to square leg for a run.

Kevin O'Brien is off the mark with a couple. Full, on middle and Kevin O'Brien flicks it to deep square leg. The fielder fumbles and the batters get a couple.

Back of a length, outside off. O'Brien guides it down to third man for one.

On a good length, on off stump. Stirling watchfully keeps it out.

Length ball, around off. Paul Stirling opens the face of the bat and works it to backward point.