Deja-vu: Ireland fail to adapt in second ODI defeat
For the second time in two matches, South Africa used helpful bowling conditions to blow away Ireland's top order
Rinse and repeat. For the second time in three days, Ireland were blown away by South Africa’s new ball skills when chasing a decent total.
The result, a 174-run hammering for Ireland, leaves them 2-0 down in this ODI series with one game to play in Abu Dhabi.
In Wednesday’s first ODI, Ireland lost the toss and had to bat under lights when the ball nipped around aplenty. Today, the same happened. On both occasions, the Irish top order was blown away, Lizaad Williams (3-36) again wreaking havoc.
The difference this time was, while Ireland took new ball wickets to keep South Africa in check with the bat last time, here they did not. The Proteas posted 343, a record score at Abu Dhabi which always looked out of reach with Ireland set to bat in the more difficult conditions.
Here are the game’s talking points:
Toss
For the fourth time in four matches on this tour, Irish captain Paul Stirling lost the toss. It wasn’t as significant a factor in the T20s when both teams batted under lights, but in the ODIs, the toss has gone a long way to determining the game outcome.
South Africa, choosing to bowl second with their slightly quicker bowlers operating under lights, have done plenty of damage. Ireland, bowling at 3.30pm in the scorching heat with the ball not doing quite as much, have not been as destructive. Clearly, the ball is moving more, particularly off the pitch, under lights.
Lots of things need to go right for Ireland to salvage a win in the third ODI. Winning the toss and bowling second would be a start.
Middle overs woes
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Ireland have problems taking wickets in the middle overs when the ball stops moving. These issues popped up in the first ODI when Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs put on 150+, but they were far more prominent here as the latter hit his first international century.
The difference between the two games was a lack of wickets with the new ball. Apart from Temba Bavuma injuring his elbow when diving to make his ground, Ireland couldn’t get rid of South Africa’s top order. That meant Stubbs had the freedom, created by wickets in hand, to dominate, instead of just ticking things over.
This was the difference between a first innings total of 271 on Wednesday and 343 in game two. Given what we know about South Africa’s bowling skill under lights, it would have taken a special, special innings from multiple batters for Ireland to get close.
At risk of repeating myself, Ireland need more pace on the ball and a top-end spinner to halt this middle-overs rot. Their attack will always be competitive, to an extent, because Mark Adair, Graham Hume and Craig Young have such good skills, both with the new ball and their death variations. Hume’s yorkers in particular have been excellent on this trip. They also have good plans, Stubbs afterwards praised how the attack forced them to hit to the bigger square boundary.
But while they managed to keep Stubbs quiet in the middle, they didn’t get him out. This allowed him to tee off at the back end. Ireland’s death skills are largely defensive. They are ploys to avoid getting whacked, hopefully picking up a wicket or two caught on the boundary while you’re at it. They won’t blow sides away. They are also volatile. It doesn’t take a lot for a slower ball to go wrong, as Hume can attest when Stubbs hit him for an 18-run over.
Ireland’s bowlers are skilled enough to keep them in the fight, but this won’t be enough time. When Ireland don’t take new ball wickets, the deck will always be stacked against them.
Where is the intent?
It’s not the only reason, but a big part of Ireland’s inability to take new ball wickets in the second ODI was their lack of pace.
Bavuma, opening in place of Tony de Zorzi who injured his knee last time out, felt comfortable using his feet, walking down the track at Ireland’s seamers. By continually making contact between two and three metres down the wicket, he minimised the space between him and the moving ball after it pitched. It’s batting 101 - if the ball is moving, reduce the time it has to do so.
For the most part, Ireland did not do this to South Africa’s bowlers. Given the Proteas attack is quicker than Ireland’s, you could say that it’s harder to walk at them.
There is an element of truth to this, but South Africa are not playing their quick, quick bowlers on this trip. Ngidi bowls a heavy ball, but he and Williams were operating around the mid 80s (miles per hour). Ainrich Nortje, who operates closer to 90, isn’t in the UAE.
Yes, Ngidi and Williams both caused Ireland one or two problems with short balls, and it is hard to walk at someone knowing he has a good bumper in the locker. Yet judging by how plenty of the line-up got out playing defensive strokes - Stirling, Balbirnie, Campher, Doheny - it also feels that Ireland hung back in their crease waiting for a ball with their name on it, instead of taking the game on.
Walking down the track isn’t in every batter’s game. South Africa’s short balls were a preventative measure; it is easier to manipulate the crease when facing slower bowling. Some of South Africa’s wicket-taking deliveries were also genuinely class.
All of these things remain true. Even when balancing the caveats, some Irish batters, the ones not dismissed when having a dip when the game was already over, showed disappointing levels of intent.
Everyone and his dog knew that Williams was going to bowl scrambled seam nip-backers and target the stumps. He said as much during his post-match interview the other day. For so many Irish batters to get out LBW, bowled or even caught behind while playing defensive shots, days after the same thing happened, shows a lack of plan B.
That said, it would be nice to see Ireland bat first under sunny skies, not the floodlights.
Young hearts run free
Amidst the humbling, at least Craig Young’s power hitting was fun. He finished unbeaten on 29 off 21 here, including three sixes in a brutal takedown of Wiaan Mulder.
It’s the small victories in life.
What was said
Paul Stirling: “The only positive is Andy McBrine bowling such a tight spell (1-43). We struggled for wickets for that middle period again and didn’t pick up any at the start, which made it tough work.
“I don’t think our processes changed, we tried to get through the new ball. It nipped around and we didn’t get through it. We needed partnerships and big scores and we haven’t been able to do that.
“When you’re playing such a good side, every game is important. (Monday) is our last game of the year, we need to make sure our energy levels are good, especially for our travelling support.”
What’s next
The series is gone for Ireland, but they will look to salvage a result in the third and final ODI on Monday. Once again, it’s a 12.30pm start Irish time.
Little and McCarthy excluded, is there any signs of bowlers with genuine pace coming through?
We were never going to be competitive in these odis. CI in their wisdom moved these 'home' games to a country where all our weaknessess are laid bare. On these pitches you absolutely need the 2 skills we don't have, pace and spin. The same with the batting, we can't out muscle a SA line up stacked with big hitters. Crazy decision playing in UAE