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Zimbabwe vs Ireland, Only Test at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe vs Ireland, Feb 06 2025 - Match Result

RESULT
Only Test, Bulawayo, February 06 - 10, 2025, Ireland tour of Zimbabwe
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260 & 298
(T:292) 267 & 228

Ireland won by 63 runs

Player Of The Match
90*, 3/59 & 1/69
andy-mcbrine
Match centre 
Scores: Harshith Gowda | Comms: S Sudarshanan
Scorecard summary
Ireland 260/10(56.4 overs)
1st INNINGS
78 (91)
2/65 (13.4)
Zimbabwe 267/10(86.1 overs)
1st INNINGS
90 (173)
4/75 (22)
Ireland 298/10(93.3 overs)
2nd INNINGS
4/55 (17.3)
2/28 (11)
Zimbabwe 228/10(86.3 overs)
2nd INNINGS

Balbirnie accepts the trophy and then his Ireland team-mates join him for photos. They now pose behind the board that says "WINNERS" and cheers ring around the Queens Sports Club. Well done Ireland, commiserations to Zimbabwe. That is not all from this tour. The two teams indulge in three ODIs followed by three T20Is. The first ODI is on February 14 in Harare. We'll be on for that, so do join us for that. Before that, you can check out Ekanth's report here soon. On behalf of him and our scorer Harshith, this is Sudarshanan signing off. Goodbye, take care! Ciao, aficionados!

10:52am Time for the presentations

Andy McBrine, Player of the Match: "[Approach at 31 for 5] Kept it very simple as possible. Blessing started well, got extra bounce. But we batted well. We got a few partnerships, tried to keep ourselves going, that worked out."

Johnathan Campbell, Zimbabwe captain: "Bless bowled well upfront, lots of ifs and buts but we did not bat well in the first innings. The bowlers bowled well all Test match. We let it slip with the bat. A couple of good individual performance but lacked cohesiveness. Reflect individually, I gave it away in the second innings, kicked myself for it. [Madhevere] He had a fighting knock, Nick in his first match. There's exciting talent in Zimbabwe, we are not far off. Ireland are a well-formed unit, they stuck in there, hung in there. McBrine hung in there, we need to find a way to get him out."

Andy Balbirnie, Ireland captain: "Very rewarding. Test cricket is tough. To go into five days, with weather around. We love Test cricket as a team, need to work hard. To do it a couple of times in the last two series is great. All our seamers worked hard, took wickets at key time. Humphreys was superb, McBrine does it every time he wears the Irish jersey. [Winning first three Tests] Just waiting for the DVD to come out! We are desperate to play, we don't know when our next Test match is. We had a long winter, prepped in Dubai. Our guys have been brought up on one day and T20 cricket but they prepared well. Sometimes it won't go our way but happy with how it is going."

10:40am Heartbreak for Zimbabwe as Ireland win by 63 runs. A superb bowling show from Ireland this. A chase of 292 with over two days left, Zimbabwe could have fancied it given there was not much on the surface. But Ireland kept at it with some disciplined bowling. Inclement weather threatened the victory charge but they made enough inroads in the pockets of play yesterday and ran throw the lower order today to finish the job. This is their third Test win in a row

Ireland's bowling charge was led by Humphreys, the left-arm spinner. He struck early in the dying moments of day three and then broke the back of the middle order yesterday. Today, he bowled well with the old and new ball to pick two more, including that of Zimbabwe's hero Madhevere. As long as he was in the middle, the hosts were in with an unlikely chance. But Humphreys attacked the stumps constantly to ask the right questions and return with the best Test figures for Ireland

86.3
W
McBrine to Ngarava, OUT

Bowled him! McBrine cleans Ngarava up and Ireland register a memorable win in Bulawayo. Flights it up and lands it full on middle, Ngarava can't resist the big heave-ho down the ground and sees middle pegged back. Smiles and hugs in the Ireland camp and well-deserved that

Richard Ngarava b McBrine 14 (39b 1x4 0x6) SR: 35.89
86.2
McBrine to Ngarava, no run

Full on middle, he strides forward and defends it

86.1
2
McBrine to Ngarava, 2 runs

Tossed up on middle, he lofts it in the air and well wide of long-off

end of over 865 runs
ZIM: 226/9CRR: 2.62 
Blessing Muzarabani1 (9b)
Richard Ngarava12 (36b 1x4)
Matthew Humphreys 28-7-57-6
Andy McBrine 23-4-67-0
85.6
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Quicker on middle, he comes forward to defend it to the on side

85.5
1
Humphreys to Ngarava, 1 run

Flatter and outside off, he goes back and punches it through cover

85.4
4b
Humphreys to Ngarava, 4 byes

Misses everything as he swings across the line. Flighted ball, spins in, past the inside edge and past leg

85.3
Humphreys to Ngarava, no run

Flatter and quicker outside off, he hangs back and looks to steer it fine but is beaten

85.2
Humphreys to Ngarava, no run

Tossed up full on off, squeezed off the inner half to short mid-on

85.1
Humphreys to Ngarava, no run

Flatter outside off, on a length, he comes forward and defends

end of over 853 runs
ZIM: 221/9CRR: 2.60 
Richard Ngarava11 (31b 1x4)
Blessing Muzarabani1 (8b)
Andy McBrine 23-4-67-0
Matthew Humphreys 27-7-56-6
84.6
1
McBrine to Ngarava, 1 run

Fuller outside off, chipped wide and over cover

84.5
1
McBrine to Muzarabani, 1 run

Full outside off, eased towards deepish mid-off for a quick one

84.4
McBrine to Muzarabani, no run

Fuller outside off, defended off the inner half towards short midwicket

84.3
McBrine to Muzarabani, no run

Fuller on off, driven to short mid-on

David : "Marco as an Irish fan can I thank you so very much.If you support Zim you have my commiserations."

84.2
1
McBrine to Ngarava, 1 run

Flatter outside off, driven past cover

84.1
McBrine to Ngarava, no run

Full on middle, chipped towards the bowler

end of over 84Wicket maiden
ZIM: 218/9CRR: 2.59 
Blessing Muzarabani0 (5b)
Richard Ngarava9 (28b 1x4)
Matthew Humphreys 27-7-56-6
Andy McBrine 22-4-64-0
83.6
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Quicker on off, fuller as well, he presses forward to defend. A wicket-maiden for Humphreys

83.5
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Fuller on middle, pushed towards mid-on

83.4
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Full on off, defended back down towards the bowler

83.3
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Full on leg, defended

83.2
Humphreys to Muzarabani, no run

Huge appeal! Quicker and sliding in with the arm, beats him on the inside and hits him low on the pad, sliding down leg

B Muzarabani
Blessing Muzarabani Career stats in Tests
INNS
17
RUNS
176
SR
52.38
AVE
16.00
HS
47

Blessing Muzarabani is the last batter in. Can he play a match-winning hand with the bat to go with eight wickets with the ball

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
AR McBrine
90 runs (132)
12 fours0 six
Productive shot
pull
22 runs
4 fours0 six
Control
75%
NR Welch
90 runs (173)
9 fours1 six
Productive shot
pull
17 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
83%
Best performances - bowlers
B Muzarabani
O
18
M
1
R
58
W
7
ECO
3.22
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
4W
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
MJ Humphreys
O
28
M
7
R
57
W
6
ECO
2.03
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
2W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Match details
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
TossIreland, elected to bat first
Series
Season2024/25
Player Of The Match
Series resultIreland won the one-off match
Match numberTest no. 2581
Hours of play (local time)10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00
Match days6,7,8,9,10 February 2025 - day (5-day match)
Test debut
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Language
English
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