Tristan Stubbs hit his maiden century with 112 runs against Ireland in Abu Dhabi on Friday. | AFP
South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, and they needed just 30.3 overs to bowl the homeside out for 169 . The final match is set to take place at the same venue on Monday.
The Proteas were clinical with both bat and ball, but they will be sweating on the fitness of skipper Temba Bavuma (35), who was playing nicely in his opening partnership (78) with Ryan Rickelton (40). Bavuma retired hurt after a dive to the non-striker’s end saw him hurt his elbow, and he took no further part in the match.
Stubbs (112 off 81, 8x4, 3x6) on the other end was involved in two key partnerships that propelled South Africa to an imposing score of 343/4 after their allotted 50 overs.
The steadily developing and formidable right-hander demonstrated a great deal of maturity as he cruised to his first ODI century, solidifying his place among the top players in the game right now.
A stand of 102 off 91 balls with Kyle Verreynne (67 off 64, 5x4) set up the entire innings and allowed South Africa to have wickets in the bank, and they had Ireland flat on their backs with the platform to launch loaded and ready to take off.
Verreynne’s fluent innings would eventually come to an end though, after he was stumped by Stephen Doheny off the bowling of Andy McBrine (1/43), but the damage was already done.
Mulder joined Stubbs, and he had to toil hard in the early parts of his innings of 43 off 34 balls. The pair of them combined for a stand of 92 off 62 balls, guiding South Africa to a winning total of 343.
In response, the Men in Green needed to have a solid start to give themselves a chance to chase the massive score set by the Proteas, but after having fallen for 50/5 shortly after the powerplay, the game was good as done.
Lizaad Williams (3/36) was at it again as he bowled Andrew Balbirnie (1) for the second match in a row. The 31-year-old looked in good rhythm and consistently found movement away from the right handers, beating the outside edge on multiple occasions.
Curtis Campher (17) was not as lucky as he got one that pitched off a good length and collected his outside edge, and Rickelton completed the catch behind the stumps.
Doheny (0) was afforded no time to get his eye in as he was dismissed for a golden duck. The Irish keeper was dished up with a fast Williams delivery, only this time it was an in-swinger that crashed into his pads to hand the right arm quick his third of the night.
Lungi Ngidi (2/38) was also quick into action, he saw the gap and sneaked through the bat and pad of Paul Stirling as he also dismissed the Ireland captain out bowled for the second match in a row. Stirling with scores of two and five has failed to get to a double figure score in the first two ODI’s.
Craig Young (29) and Graham Hume (21) offered resistance in the lower order and they frustrated South Africa with the final wicket stand of 52 but ultimately, the task was too big.
South Africa were on the mark with the ball and there were useful contributions from Mulder (1/36), Ottniel Baartman (1/8), Andile Phehlukwayo (1/13) and Bjorn Fortuin (2/36).
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