Ireland in Zimbabwe, One-Off Test, 2025 |One-off Test |2/6/2025 Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Commentary
That is all from this lone Test. Andy Balbirnie has been handed over the trophy. His teammates join him for the cameras. Time for the ODIs to kick off and the series starts on the 14th of this month. Join us at 7.30 am GMT and earlier for the build up. Goodbye and cheers!
Andy Balbirnie says Test cricket is tough but rewarding, they worked hard in the recent past and got the results. Feels the bowlers kept them in the game. Andy McBrine, Mark Adair and others bowled well. Mentions it's an amazing achievement to win three matches in a row and want to keep getting better. Credits the players, they prepared hard for the game.
Johnathan Campbell says there didn't bat well enough in the first innings. Tells the bowlers kept them in the game, there were a couple of individual performances with the bat but needed a big partnership. Mentions they will reflect on this game. Appreciates the effort of Blessing Muzarabani and Wessly Madhevere in the game. Feels they are not far away from putting a strong performance.
Andy McBrine wins the PLAYER OF THE MATCH AWARD. He says he just tried to make most of the conditions and keep it simple.. Tells it was a good wicket to play on. Blessing Muzarabani was outstanding in the first innings. Feels few partnerships worked out in the game.
...Presentation...
Matthew Humphreys was the star with the ball for the visitors. Wessly Madhevere fought hard with the bat. He played a very gutsy innings but needed support from the other end which didn’t come. In the end, it is the visitors who get a really good win. The win was always on the cards for Ireland, it was a matter of when rather than if. Matthew Humphreys leads the team as he finishes with a six fer.
Ireland batted brilliantly in their second essay, contributions from most of their batters saw them set a target of close to 300 which was always going to be difficult to chase and Zimbabwe couldn’t. Andy Balbirnie started well but it was Lorcan Tucker's fifty which proved to be the pivotal point.
Zimbabwe in reply began well, thanks to Welch. However, he was fighting a lone battle and kept losing partners at the other end. At one stage, it seemed like the hosts would fall well short of the Irish score but the last wicket stand added over 50 to give them a 7 run lead. Blessing Muzarabani played a vital innings there.
A fine, fine win for the visitors! They were in massive trouble after electing to bat on Day 1. Their top order was blown away by Blessing Muzarabani and were reeling at 31 for 5. The lower order though came to the fore. The likes of McBrine and Adair took them to over 250 which looked impossible at one stage.
86.4
W
Andy McBrine to Richard Ngarava, OUT! BOWLED! Andy McBrine ends with a wicket! Floats it full on middle and it spins away. Ngarava swings across the line but misses and it crashes the stumps. Job done! Ireland win by 63 runs.
86.3
0
Andy McBrine to Richard Ngarava, Flat and on off, Ngarava blocks it out.
86.2
2
Andy McBrine to Richard Ngarava, Floated on off, Ngarava slices his lofted shot to point and it lands safely. Two.
86.1
0
Andy McBrine to Richard Ngarava, Too full and on off, Ngarava blocks.
END OF OVER 86 | 5 Runs & 0 Wkt | ZIM 226/9
85.6
0
Matthew Humphreys to Blessing Muzarabani, Flat and on middle, Muzarabani defends.
85.5
1
Matthew Humphreys to Richard Ngarava, A single as this is punched to cover.
85.4
0
Matthew Humphreys to Richard Ngarava, FOUR BYES! Flighted on leg, and spins in. Richard Ngarava swings and misses and it rolls through and to the fine leg fence. Past everyone.
85.3
0
Matthew Humphreys to Richard Ngarava, Bowls it well outside off, Richard Ngarava looks to push but misses.
85.2
0
Matthew Humphreys to Richard Ngarava, Too full and on middle, Richard Ngarava plays it to silly mid on.
85.1
0
Matthew Humphreys to Richard Ngarava, On off and it spins back in. Richard Ngarava dead bats it.
END OF OVER 85 | 3 Runs & 0 Wkt | ZIM 221/9
84.6
1
Andy McBrine to Richard Ngarava, Flat and outside off, this is knocked to point for one more.
84.5
1
Andy McBrine to Blessing Muzarabani, Full and outside off, Muzarabani drives it to cover for a single.
84.4
0
Andy McBrine to Blessing Muzarabani, Too full and on middle, defended out.
84.3
0
Andy McBrine to Blessing Muzarabani, Floated on middle, Muzarabani blocks.