Prendergast helps Ireland to ODI sweep over Zimbabwe

Stormont’s second one-day international

Ireland 182-6 (38.5 overs): Prendergast 67, Lewis 44, Tshuma 4-35

Zimbabwe 178 (49.1 overs): Mugeri-Tiripano 56, Mupachikwa, 45, Dalzell 4-36, McBride 3-22

By four wickets, Ireland won.

Ireland won their one-day international series against Zimbabwe at Stormont by two games thanks to Orla Prendergast’s unbeaten 67.

The hosts defeated the hosts by four wickets on Monday after a 97-run victory at the Belfast stadium on Saturday and a 3-0 triumph in the T20 series earlier this month.

Zimbabwe won the toss, chose to bat, and lost their first three wickets for 38.

Before allowing Loreen Tshuma to fall to wicketkeeper Amy Hunter for four, Alana Dalzell bowled opener Kelis Ndlovu for a first-ball duck.

The tourists’ innings appeared to be teetering on the verge of collapse when Chiedza Dhururu was trapped by Ava Canning.

With 56 from 92 balls, Captain Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano steadied the ship, while Modester Mupachikwa scored 45 to give Ireland a target of 178.

Gaby Lewis, the captain, delivered 44 off 59 balls, while Ireland lost an early wicket of their own after Sarah Forbes was bowled by Biza for just three.

What appeared to be a potentially crucial wicket at the time instead of Mupachikwa’s fellow wicketkeeper Amy Hunter for just 14 brought Prendergast to the crease.

With Ireland’s ease in the 39th over, her 67 included seven boundaries, making it her second half-century in a row in the one-day format.