IRE vs NZ 3rd ODI: Ireland missed out on making history by one run, lost against New Zealand after scoring 359 runs

IRE vs NZ, 3rd ODI: New Zealand won the third and last ODI against Ireland by one run. With the win, the visiting team has also captured the three-match series 3-0. However, the Kiwi team got a tough competition from the hosts during the entire series. But New Zealand won every time. In the third ODI also, the New Zealand team narrowly escaped a major defeat.

Chasing New Zealand’s target of 361, Ireland scored 359 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs. Ireland’s team scored the biggest score in their ODI history but they missed the biggest target by just one run.

Chasing New Zealand’s mammoth target of 361, the Ireland team did not have a good start and they lost the wicket of captain Andy Balbirnie for seven in the second over. After this, Andy McBirney and Paul Stirling put together a half-century partnership for the second wicket. McBirney, however, could not last long and was dismissed for 26 runs in 20 balls. At one point, Ireland’s team was looking weak after losing two wickets at the score of 62. But after this, Sterling and Harry Tector batted together and shared 179 runs for the third wicket.

Sterling and Tector’s Centuries

Sterling was dismissed for 120 runs in 103 balls with the help of 14 fours and five sixes. Gareth Delaney (22), Curtis Camper (5) and Lorcan Tucker (22) quickly returned to the pavilion as soon as he was dismissed. But at the other end, Harry Tector scored a quick run to complete his century and took the team closer to the target. He was dismissed for 108 runs in 106 balls in the 44th over. After this George Dockrell played some quick shots and kept the hopes alive, but he too was dismissed after scoring 22 runs in 17 balls. Arland’s team could only score 22 runs in the last three overs and then could not score three runs off the last ball. Matt Henry took the maximum four wickets for New Zealand.

Strong start for New Zealand

Earlier in Dublin, New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first. The visitors got off to a strong start as well and Martin Guptill along with Finn Allen added 78 runs in 56 balls for the first wicket. New Zealand then lost the wickets of Allen (33) and Will Young (3) at short intervals. However, Guptill along with Lotham handled the innings and shared a 60-run partnership for the third wicket. Lotham was dismissed for 30 off 26 balls but Guptill completed his half-century.

Guptill’s century

Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls combined for quick runs after New Zealand’s three wickets fell to take the score past 200. Both shared a 96-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Guptill was dismissed for 115 runs in 126 balls, while Nicholls played an innings of 79 runs in 54 balls. After the dismissal of these two, Glenn Phillips (47), Michael Bracewell (21) and Mitchell Santner (14) played short but fast innings and took the team’s score to 341 runs. Jose Little took the most two wickets for Ireland.