Zimbabwe vs Ireland, All around players Stirling and Campher help Ireland tie the score.
Zimbabwe vs Ireland: Another outstanding all-around performance by Curtis Campher set the stage for Ireland’s series-tying victory in Harare. In addition to limiting Zimbabwe to a total well below par with his three-wicket burst, he also made sure Ireland was always comfortable in the chase with a 144-run partnership with Paul Stirling, who scored an outstanding 89.
On a greener field, Stirling was pleased to bowl first once more after Ireland’s chase in the first ODI had failed. Wessly Madhevere and Sikandar Raza had half-centuries, but Ireland never allowed Zimbabwe to escape them.
Even though Mark Adair finished with four wickets, Campher’s spell ended a 74-run partnership between Madhevere and Raza and severely weakened the hosts just as they were beginning to gain momentum. Additionally, Stirling and Campher made sure Ireland remained above the asking rate despite an early wicket, and by the time they left, Zimbabwe had already lost the opportunity to rally.
Andy Balbirnie opened the scoring with a graceful drive through cover point in the first over as Ireland chased 246. Stirling hit Blessing Muzarabani for a boundary first ball through the covers in the second over. After bowling a ten-ball over that cost Zimbabwe 14 runs, Muzarabani fell from grace.
But in the sixth over, Muzarabani rallied and had Balbirnie caught at slip with a well-directed short ball. A couple of times he even beat Campher’s outside edge.
In the second ODI between Zimbabwe and Ireland in Harare on February 16, 2025, Craig Ervine loses his middle stump.
Josh Little defeated Craig Ervine at the middle stump in Zimbabwe cricket.
The captain continued to take advantage of the fielding restrictions with a few more boundaries, including the game’s first six off Trevor Gwandu in the ninth over, but Campher and Stirling saw out the new ball and kept Ireland on course.
The batters were content to alternate strikes amidst the sporadic boundaries, and the fifty-run stand was reached in just fifty-one balls. Zimbabwe’s generosity in providing extras—23 in total—also aided Ireland. Soon after, Stirling reached his half-century in the 24th over, setting up the century stand with Campher.
In celebration of reaching his fifty in the thirty-first over, Campher dragged Gwandu into the stands in front of square leg. When a length ball from Gwandu stayed surprisingly low to beat Campher’s attempted pull and pin him in front, the stand was finally broken. More daring was Harry Tector, who pulled away the third ball he faced for a boundary after making a slow 39 off 78 in the first ODI. He needed 77 deliveries to hit one in the most recent game.
His brief stay was cut short, though, as Tadiwanashe Marumani made a good catch after he attempted to cut a short, wide delivery. However, Stirling launched Ngarava over long-on to make sure Ireland didn’t get bogged down.
When Stirling chased a short ball and miscued it to cover, 11 runs short of a century, Ngarava finally made progress. After that, Lorcan Tucker took control and hit Gwandu for three straight boundaries. With Tucker scoring the game-winning runs in the penultimate over, Ireland easily destroyed the remainder of the target.
Before Brian Bennett got going with a barrage of boundaries off Adair and Graham Hume, Zimbabwe’s openers had started cautiously. He hit two consecutive boundaries off Adair, but the quick caught him with a wide delivery that he edged to slip, and five of his six boundaries came off the side.
Sikandar Raza departs for the second ODI between Zimbabwe and Ireland in Harare on February 16, 2025.
Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza’s fifty was a failure. Once Bennett was fired, Cricket Ireland was able to slow things down. Before Josh Little received a full delivery to seam past Ervine’s inside edge and uproot his middle stump, Curran and Craig Ervine were only able to add nine runs off twenty-five balls. Curran chopped on in Andy McBrine’s opening over for 18 off 36, ending his frustrating knock.
Before getting off to a fast start with a boundary off McBrine in his next over, Raza played him out for four dots to give the spinner a wicket maiden. Raza and Madhevere, who appeared promising right away, made sure Zimbabwe continued to score runs at a steady pace. Madhevere reached a half-century at run-a-ball in the 27th over.
But with Ireland, a brilliant bowling change quickly restored the momentum. The 30th over saw the introduction of Campher, who brilliantly set up Madhevere in his second over. He got Madhevere moving across his stumps with a string of outswingers before trapping him leg before wicket with a straight shot.
He bowled a length ball across Jonathan Campbell in his subsequent over, and the umpire gave it caught behind after hearing a commotion. However, replays indicated that the ball had made contact with the pad. When Campher pinged Marumani plumb in front two balls later, there was little question about who would be his next victim.
The collapse was then stopped by Raza and Masakadza, with Raza reaching his half-century with 27 off 24 in a 50-run partnership. In an attempt to quicken the pace, Raza misplayed a pull off Adair and holed out at deep midwicket. Running in from the ropes and diving in front, Tector made a good catch.
Ngarava and Masakadza attempted to push Zimbabwe over 250, but Ireland easily defeated them, with Adair taking two of the final three wickets.