South Africa opt to bowl v Ireland
Ireland and South Africa made a change apiece to their bowling attacks for the second T20I in Abu Dhabi. After Friday’s night high-scoring game on a surface with decent bounce and carry and significant grass, the two teams have adjusted their seam combination. Graham Hume replaced Craig Young in Ireland’s XI while South Africa included Lungi Ngidi at Ottneil Baartman’s expense.
The teams left their batting line-ups unchanged which meant Ireland remain without Lorcan Tucker, who was due to open the batting in this series but was injured in training before the first game. Ross Adair has been given another opportunity at the top of the order.
Only four of South Africa’s batters were needed on Friday and both Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton found form. They will open the batting again, with Matthew Breetzke in at No.3 and two allrounders in Wiaan Mulder and Patrick Kruger in at No.6 and 7 respectively.
The second match is the last one in this short T20I series and will be followed by three ODIs next week. Ireland have never beaten South Africa in the seven times the teams have met in T20Is.
Ireland: 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Ross Adair, 3 Harry Tector, 4 Curtis Campher, 5 Neil Rock (wk), 6 George Dockrell, 7 Mark Adair, 8 Fionn Hand, 9 Matthew Humphreys, 10 Ben White, 11 Graham Hume
South Africa: 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Matthew Breetzke, 4 Aiden Markam, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Wiaan Mulder, 7 Patrick Kruger, 8 Bjorn Fortuin, 9 Nqaba Peter, 10 Lizaad Williams, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
Source: ESPN Crickinfo