South Africa were just too hot to handle for Ireland in the first ODI as they were handed a 139-run thrashing at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Ryan Rickleton top scored with 91 for the visitors, who was brilliantly supported by Tristan Stubbs with his 79. While defending 272, Lizaard Williams picked up four to break the Irish backbone, while rest of the bowlers chipped in to give SA the victory. Follow the highlights and ball-by-ball commentary from the IRE vs RSA game, right here. (More Cricket News)
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bat first against Ireland.
Playing XIs
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.
Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, Stephen Doheny (wk), George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Craig Young, Graham Hume, Gavin Hoey.
Before the drawn T20I series against Ireland, South Africa had lost the three-game T20I series to Afghanistan, a first for the Asian side. On top of that, the Temba Bavuma-led Proteas are travelling with a relatively young squad, and a number of experienced faces are not around.
The white-ball tour between the two sides was originally supposed to be hosted by Ireland, but is being held in the United Arab Emirates instead due to what the Ireland board's chief executive Warren Deutrom called "infrastructure constraints". Ireland do not have a permanent home stadium and have to pay rent and bring in temporary facilities each time they play at home.
