Joyce was named Man of the Match for his knock of 112
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Ireland batsman Ed Joyce hammered 112 to carry his side to a heart-racing five-run win over Zimbabwe in Hobart.
Joyce was well supported by fellow batsman Andy Balbirnie, who made 97.
However, Zimbabwe’s captain Brendan Taylor and all-rounder Sean Williams deserve a lot of credit as well as they scored 121 and 96 respectively.
After being put in to bat, Ireland got off to a solid start before Joyce took over following the wickets of Paul Stirling and captain William Porterfield.
Joyce and Balbirnie amassed a 138-run partnership, during which Joyce brought up his third ODI century and Balbirnie his half-century, before Joyce was caught by Craig Ervine at short midwicket off the bowling of Tendai Chatara.
Joyce’s spectacular knock of 112 came off 103 balls and included nine boundaries and three sixes.
Following Joyce’s dismissal, Ireland started to lose wickets at regular intervals.
However, Balbirnie kept his cool and pressed on. But, he suffered a lapse in concentration at a crucial time and ended up being run out by Regis Chakabva for 97, which came off 79 balls and included seven boundaries and four sixes.
Balbirnie played some super shots during his knock of 97
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Thanks to Joyce and Balbirnie, Ireland finished on 331/8 off their 50 overs.
Chatara and Williams picked up three wickets apiece, while Tinashe Panyangara chipped in with one.
Chasing 332 to win, Zimbabwe got off to a terrible start as they lost their top four batsmen for 74 runs.
But, Taylor and Williams brought Zimbabwe back into contention with a 149-run partnership, during which Taylor registered his seventh ODI century and Williams his half-century, before Taylor was caught by Kevin O’Brien at mid-on off the bowling of Alex Cusack.
Taylor’s dazzling innings of 121 came off 91 balls and included 11 boundaries and four sixes.
Taylor celebrates after scoring his seventh ODI century
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Ervine made 11 runs before he was caught by Niall O’Brien at short third man off the bowling of Andy McBrine.
Williams ended up making a career-best 96, which came off 83 deliveries and included seven boundaries and two sixes, before he was caught by John Mooney at deep midwicket off the bowling of Kevin O’Brien.
Williams hit seven boundaries and two sixes during his innings of 96
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
However, there was a lot of controversy surrounding Williams’ dismissal as it seemed as if Mooney had stepped on the boundary rope when taking the catch.
With the required run rate continuing to climb, all the pressure fell on Zimbabwe’s lower order.
However, they couldn’t cope with it and ended up being bowled out just five agonising runs short of their target.
Cusack was the most successful bowler with four wickets, while Mooney and O’Brien snapped up two wickets apiece and McBrine and George Dockrell claimed one wicket each.
Taylor was gutted to have lost the match, and said: “It’s pretty frustrating to be in a winning situation again, and throw it away a little bit. Ireland were a little bit more hungry, they deserved to win. It hasn’t been clever cricket from us at crucial periods. It’s a tough one to follow. The bowling was poor, really. We weren’t hungry in the field, our energy levels were poor. We need to pull our socks up for the next game. I hit it nicely, but I got out at the wrong time, new batter coming in in the Powerplay, those things add up. You’ve got to take [Mooney’s] word for [the catch], but they zoomed in, and I thought it was pretty clear. But you’ve got to take the fielder’s word.”
Porterfield was ecstatic to have won, and said: “Thought it was a very good score, knew it was a very good wicket, but we knew it was going to be difficult, especially with the short square boundaries. For Cusack to come in and perform like that it was great. It’s very hard to tell on the line. It was great skill anyway. I haven’t seen it so I don’t know. Still in our hands, we’ll just go game by game, two points up for grabs, that’s it.”
Joyce was named Man of the Match, and said: “Thought it was a good toss to win for them. It was really hard to defend, but the boys pulled it off in the end. Alex Cusack has a cold heart, no, a cool head, and I’m glad he was the one bowling that last over, and I’m glad William Porterfield was under the catch. I had a lot of luck early on before I got to 30 or 40, and I needed that. They bowled well initially, back of a length, it was difficult to get away. Andrew Balbirnie was brilliant too.”