South Africa defeats Ireland by eight wickets in the first Twenty20 International between Rickelton and Hendricks.
With dew predicted to come in, South Africa made no hesitations in choosing to bowl first. In the opening over, Ross Adair humiliated Lizaad Williams by hitting two fours and a six. Adair holed out to long-on, ending his eighteen-minute cameo. Ottneil Baartman thoroughly cleaned up Irish skipper Paul Stirling. Ireland roared to 63 for 2 in the PowerPlay as new batsman Curtis Campher struck Baartman for three fours in the fifth over and Harry Tector replicated the feat against Lizaad Williams in the next over.
Tector fell immediately after the PowerPlay, miscuing a reverse sweep. Neil Rock and Campher consolidated the innings and built a 59-run stand together. The former hit Kruger for a four and a six but was bowled off legspinner Nqaba Peter in the 14th over. The Irish continued to score a boundary in each of the following overs before Baartman was smashed for two sixes in the 17th over. At a healthy position of 153 for 4, Kruger came back to the attack and scalped Campher, one short of a half-century followed by three wickets in his final over. Ireland finished at 171 for 8.
Legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter was called on in his third Twenty20 international match, and it was a difficult introduction as he had to wait till the eleventh over. After dropping Campher on 17 at the end of the ninth over and misfiring to allow four at the end of the tenth, South Africa were spooked. Campher and Neil Rock had made their peace. After hitting Peter for four in an eight-run over, Bjorn Fortuin took his place and was permitted to switch ends. Then he made a hit. As Rock attempted to sweep, Peter bowled him with a delivery that straightened, ending a partnership that threatened to take the game away. That wicket would be pivotal to Ireland's ultimate South African objective.
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