Langton Rusere (Zimbabwe), Roly Black (Ireland), Richard Illingworth (England, TV)
Referee
Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)
Toss
South Africa elected to bat
Pitch Report
There are 4 millimeters of grass on the pitch. It should favour the bowlers a bit more. Otherwise, the wicket is expected to be good for batting. There is pace and bounce on offer. Anything around 270-280 should be a good score first up.
VENUE STATS
1st Innings
252Avg Runs
8Avg Wkts
84.32Avg
SR
2nd Innings
212Avg Runs
8Avg Wkts
78.48Avg
SR
Weather Update
Weather Update
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
Updated: 02 Oct 23:30
32.7°CClear
clear sky
0%
Clouds
0%
Rain %
69%
Humidity
11.5 kmph
Wind
Playing XILineups Out
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Venue Details
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
There are 4 millimeters of grass on the pitch. It should favour the bowlers a bit more. Otherwise, the wicket is expected to be good for batting. There is pace and bounce on offer. Anything around 270-280 should be a good score first up.
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That is all we have for you from the first of three One Day Internationals. South Africa go one-nil up in grand fashion, thanks to a clinical performance with the ball. Both sides meet each other at this very venue for the next game - join us right here on Sportskeeda for our coverage of that, and in the meantime, keep an eye on our page for a whole lot more! This is Rajarshi Das, signing off on behalf of Pradeep. Good night!
Temba Bavuma, South Africa captain: It's a good start to the series. Was a competitive score that we put up, we had to fight to get to it. Proper innings that by Rickelton and Stubbs, and then the tail wagging at the end. Conditions were in the bowler's favour, any nip we had our seamers for it, ready to exploit that. proper bowling effort that. As far as I know, he (Tony de Zorzi) is going for a scan tomorrow. We tried to play what was in front of us, conditions made us emulate what happens in Test cricket. Look for swing or movement off the wicket. We've got guys who can do both - Lungi with his swing and Lizaad with his movement off the wicket followed by Ottniel as well. Quite a nice variety, the damage was done by them, and it was about keeping the pressure on after that.
Paul Stirling, Ireland captain: Proud of myself (On 400 games for Ireland), glad to have my dad here watching as well. The ball did do quite a bit early on. Missed the two batters who'd put on the runs for the 3rd and 4th wicket. Not the only thing that cost us. Certainly if we'd take our chances and get them five down early, makes things easier. Delighted with how Gav (Hoey) went, not easy as a wrist-spinner, especially in such conditions against opponents who tend to put you in pressure from ball one, he came back brilliantly. Delighted with how he got through, to post 10 overs in this Abu Dhabi heat as well.
Ryan Rickelton is the Player of the match! Here's what he has to say: When Tristan came in and joined, we were in a spot of bother, honed in a lot of test match skills, spent some time in the middle and that helped, we caught up and we got past the initial period, that helped. The tail wagged, we managed to get out of that tough period, wasn't sure we were even going to get to 250, but the tail helped.
Lizaad Williams is the Impactful Player: We did lot of analysis, tried to tick a lot boxes by pitching it in the right areas and let the pitch do. I bowled with wobble seam, I don't get a lot of swing and the wobble seam helped. There was a bit of wind from one side, it gave me a boost well to do well.
Match summary:
South Africa win by 139 runs
Ryan Rickelton 91 (102) | Lizaad Williams 4/32 (10) George Dockrell 21 (32) | Mark Adair 4/50 (10)
The Proteas' pace attack made light work of the Ireland batting line-up. Ireland were in a better position compared to South Africa after the end of their powerplay, but it all fell apart for them after that. Lizaad Williams and Ottneil Baartman bowled in tandem, extracted as much as they could from the deck - lateral movement, extra bounce, extra zip, there was a bit of everything for him.
While Williams had the wickets to show, Baartman's contribution was as important. Lungi Ngidi was a touch wayward with his line and length with the new ball, and it took an over or two for Williams to find rhythm as well. Ngidi, though, broke through first - he got Paul Stirling to chop on to a wide-ish length delivery. The Ireland captain played away from his body and dragged the ball onto his stumps.
Andrew Balbirnie and Curtis Campher set in on the rescue act. Both batters were tested vigorously, and they seemed to be doing well. That was until Williams went past Balbirnie with one that nipped back in and clipped his off stump. A procession followed - Harry Tector, Campher and Stephen Doheny all fell in the span of the next five overs - Baartman claiming his first wicket in the form of the Ireland wicket-keeper batter.
There was another attempt at a rescue from Ireland's lower-order - George Dockrell and Mark Adair tried their best in salvaging the situation. There were a few decent shots being played, but the task at hand was always going to be too much. Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin got in among the wickets too eventually, and the formalities were completed after the last pair had a bit of fun in the middle. Presentations in a bit....
10:17 P.M. Local Time, 11:47 P.M. IST: A thoroughly clinical performance from this South African bowling outfit. Ireland lacked batting firepower as well, didn't help them at all.
31.5 Bjorn Fortuin to Graham Hume, OUT! STRAIGHT TO BAARTMAN AND GONE! It's all over, South Africa takes 1-0 lead in this 3 match ODI series! It's a clinical win for South Africa, they've been magnificent with the ball. Length delivery outside the off-stump, Hume uses his feet and firmly driven but in the air. Baartman diving forward, ensures his has his hands underneath and takes a clean catch.
Graham Hume c Ottniel Baartman b Bjorn Fortuin 9 (22b, 2x4, 0x6)
31.4 Bjorn Fortuin to Graham Hume, tossed up delivery, drifts in on the off-stump. Hume takes a shimmy down the track and blocks.
31.3 Bjorn Fortuin to Graham Hume, length delivery outside the off-stump, Hume cuts it away, but finds the backward point fielder.
31.2 Bjorn Fortuin to Craig Young, down the track, Fortuin spears it on the stumps. Young looks to whack it, but gets an inside edge back on to the boot, takes a quick single.
31.1 Bjorn Fortuin to Craig Young, length delivery on the fifth stump, Young waits and looks to cut it hard, but finds the cover fielder for a dot.
This last pair are having quite a lot of fun. Six runs off it - they're batting with more gusto than some of their top-order colleagues.
31
overs
131/9score
0
1
1lb
0
4
0
runs
Graham Hume*
9(19)
Craig Young
11(8)
Wiaan Mulder
1/11
30.6 Wiaan Mulder to Graham Hume, OH! Short from over the wicket, just outside the off-stump. Hume sways away from it, through to the keeper.
30.5 Wiaan Mulder to Graham Hume, FOUR! SHOT! Clever batting from Hume there. Short and just outside the off-stump, Hume this time, waits and ramps it over the slip fielder, that runs away to third-man boundary.
30.4 Wiaan Mulder to Graham Hume, back of a length on the fourth stump, Hume had just enough room to cut, but that beats the outside edge to the keeper.
30.3 Wiaan Mulder to Craig Young, OH DEAR! That's gotta sting Young. Backed away to access off-side, but Mulder saw that and follows the batter and doesn't allow Young to free his arms. Young takes evasive action after getting pinged on the body.
30.2 Wiaan Mulder to Graham Hume, OH! That is a good shot from Hume, gets just a single though. Back of a length on the fifth stump, Hume waits and plays the late cut to wide third-man.
30.1 Wiaan Mulder to Graham Hume, short and angled in on the off-stump, Hume stood tall and steered it to point as he opened the face of the blade.
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Graham Hume
*
Wiaan Mulder
Video
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Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
