South Africa secured a comprehensive 139-run win over Ireland in the opening match of their three-game ODI series, thanks to career-best performances from Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Lizaad Williams. Rickelton’s 91 and Stubbs’ 79 set the stage for South Africa’s total of 271 for 9, while Williams’ brilliant figures of 4-32 helped bowl out Ireland for just 132.
Rickelton and Stubbs anchored South Africa's innings with a vital 152-run partnership after the team faced two brief collapses. Their efforts helped South Africa recover to post a competitive total. Williams then tore through Ireland’s top order with three quick wickets during his opening spell, leaving Ireland struggling at five wickets down inside 14 overs.
South Africa started cautiously, with Rickelton taking charge of the early scoring. He opened the match with a boundary off the first ball from Mark Adair and followed up with a couple of well-timed drives. Despite an early dropped catch by Ireland’s wicketkeeper Stephen Doheny, Adair managed to break through in the seventh over, dismissing Tony de Zorzi with a short ball that resulted in a top edge caught at deep backward square.
Soon after, South African captain Temba Bavuma was given a brief reprieve when an lbw decision was overturned on review, but Craig Young struck shortly after, bowling him out. Adair then picked up Rassie van der Dussen to further dent South Africa’s innings.
After the powerplay, spinners were introduced, and while Stubbs survived a dropped catch, Rickelton found his rhythm, smashing a six off debutant Gavin Hoey. Rickelton then raced to his half-century off 74 balls, attacking Hoey with a series of powerful shots that yielded 18 runs in one over.
Stubbs brought up his fifty soon after and joined forces with Rickelton to accelerate the scoring. They pushed South Africa past 150 in the 30th over, with Rickelton hitting boundaries all around the park. However, Rickelton fell short of a century, dragging a delivery onto his stumps after a boundary drought.
This dismissal sparked another mini-collapse for South Africa, with Adair claiming Stubbs and Andile Phehlukwayo in quick succession. Wiaan Mulder and Williams also fell as South Africa lost five wickets for just 38 runs. However, Bjorn Fortuin and Lungi Ngidi managed to push the score past 250 with some valuable late contributions.
Ngidi carried his momentum into Ireland’s chase, removing Paul Stirling early. Although Andy Balbirnie and Curtis Campher briefly rebuilt Ireland’s innings, Williams dismissed both batters and later took out Harry Tector with a pinpoint delivery.
Debutant Ottneil Baartman claimed his first ODI wicket by bowling Doheny, and after a brief resistance from George Dockrell and Adair, Ngidi struck again to end Adair’s innings. South Africa’s bowlers continued to apply pressure, with Mulder and Fortuin cleaning up the tail to seal a dominant victory.
Williams completed his spell by bouncing out Andy McBrine, while Fortuin wrapped up the match by dismissing Graham Hume. South Africa now leads the series 1-0.