Rain without stopping washing odi opening between Ireland and South Africa in Dublin. Only 40.2 overs were possible in the contest with 195 Ireland posts for 4.
Two most dependent players on Ireland – William Porterfield and Paul Stirling – adopted a careful approach from the start with only 28 walking in PowerPlay. Stirling could not find the rhythm he could find for Middlesex in the T20 explosion and finally fell for 13 off 40. Porterfield took steps on the 11th with a consecutive limit against Andile Phehluwayo.
Porterfield and Andrew Balbirnie scored 87 out of 105 to the second goal to set the platform for Ireland scores. The Irish captain was dropped at 15 by Aiden Markram at first against Keshav Maharaj when the couple was slowly built and took the score passed 100 on the 25th. Porterfield reached half a century above the next but could not bring momentum ahead. Trying to take Tabraiz Shamsi, Porterfield wading upside downstairs to Markram on the first slip fell for 63.
Balbirnie to half a century of 68 balls but the rain arrived to inhibit Irish momentum. Rain lasts more than one hour – relenting once in between – to leave Ireland eight overs in their round. The host came out charging – Phehluwayo leaked two boundaries on the 38rd – before Kagiso Rabada fired Balbirnie for 65 on the 39th.
Harry Tector hit six and four above the same but fell to Rabada for 25 off 28. Mark Adair left with six on his second ball, but the rain arrived once more to be disappointed for a rare crowd. Adair made 16 off 8 – a knock that included two six people against Rabada – to give a late boost to increase the DLS score.
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