Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Excellent performances from brothers Ross and Mark Adair helped Ireland Men defeat South Africa and draw the two-match T20I series in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Ross set Ireland on course with his maiden international hundred before Mark’s 4-31 with the ball claimed a dramatic 10-run win.
The former combined with Paul Stirling in a stunning opening partnership which teed up Ireland’s first innings total of 195-6, their highest T20I score against South Africa and 10th best of all-time in the format.
Their 137-run stand for the first wicket is also Ireland’s second-biggest T20I partnership, with Ross Adair becoming just the third Irish men’s player to hit a T20I century.
Adair’s innings was brutal, the 30-year-old hitting nine sixes and five fours in his knock of 100 from just 58 deliveries.
He joined Kevin O’Brien and Stirling in Ireland’s T20I hundred club in men’s cricket, delivering a showstopping display of batting in his 10th outing in the format.
Stirling played superbly himself with a rapid 52 off 31 balls – the Ireland skipper’s 24th half century in T20Is – but his contribution was overshadowed by the brilliance of his opening partner.
When Ireland were beaten in Friday’s first game in the series, it was South Africa’s opening batters who shone in a successful run chase and they started brightly again, putting on 50 for the first wicket before Graham Hume removed the dangerous Ryan Rickelton for 36.
Reeza Hendricks’ half century maintained the charge before being dismissed by Ben White and by the time South Africa captain Aiden Markram was bowled by Matthew Humphreys seven balls later, the Proteas were 130-3 and requiring 66 from 38.
The younger Adair and Neil Rock soon combined to account for Tristan Stubbs but Matthew Breetzke passed 50 and took South Africa to within 23 runs of victory with 12 balls remaining.
Adair subsequently took three wickets in the penultimate over, including that of Breetzke, before Hume (3-25) saw out the final over that claimed a major victory for Ireland.
The two sides now turn their attentions to the three-match ODI series, which kicks off at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland Men v South Africa Men, 2nd T20I, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 29 September 2024
Ireland 195-6 (20 overs; R Adair 100, P Stirling 52; W Mulder 2-51)
South Africa 185-9 (20 overs; R Hendricks 51, M Breetzke 51; M Adair 4-31, G Hume 3-25)
Ireland won by 10 runs
See full scorecard