Ross Adair scored a hundred and his younger brother Mark took four wickets as Ireland beat South Africa by 10 runs on Sunday in the second of their Twenty20 internationals to square the two-match series.
Ross Adair became the third Irishman to score a century in a T20 international as he hit 100 off 58 balls to help Ireland to 195-6 after being put into bat at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Mark Adair took 4-31 in his four overs as Ireland then put the brakes on the reply when the South Africans looked on course to successfully chase down the imposing target. Then South Africa lost their last six wickets cheaply, Adair taking three in his last over, to finish on 185-9.
An opening wicket partnership of 137 between Ross Adair and skipper Paul Stirling gave Ireland a flying start off 52 deliveries. The nine sixes Adair hit in his innings broke Stirling’s Irish T20 record of eight.
It was a target, South Africa’s top order were hauling in, courtesy Reeza Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke who made 51 apiece and Ryan Rickleton 36.
But when key batsman Tristan Stubbs went cheaply on 157-4 with four overs remaining, the South African innings collapsed to offer the Irish victory. They will now play three One Day Internationals in Abu Dhabi, starting on Wednesday, against Ireland and South Africa.
