For a while, at least, the comfort of cricket coaching turned on its head. When South Africa played Ireland in the third ODI at Abu Dhabi, coach and ex-player JP Duminy had to bust out of his comfort zone to become a fielder. After several South African players left the field for the scorching heat and key players such as captain Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder were ruled out through injuries, it was only just that Duminy be pressed into service.
He is 40 years old and played with incredible athleticism, making a spectacular diving save that instantly went viral, captivating commentators and fans alike. As great as he played during the time he played, it has proven in retirement that dedication and fitness are not hard to keep up.
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Ireland elected to bat first. They scored a total of 284 runs, quite a challenging one. Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling proved a good foundation, scoring 45 and 88 runs respectively. That laid the foundation for the middle order to drive.
Coach JP Duminy fielding for South Africa pic.twitter.com/DTppCnT2Cz
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Curtis Campher scored 34, while Harry Tector scored 60 runs. Lorcan Tucker’s 26 went in vain, as Ireland’s lower order crumbled after that. The team lost quick wickets. Six players of the side failed to reach double figures and this ensured that they did not cross the 300-run mark to which they seemed on course.
South African bowlers took charge, particularly Lizaad Williams who grabbed four wickets. Ottneil Baartman and Andile Phehlukwayo also chipped in with two wickets apiece.
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South Africa collapsed immediately to fewer than five overs gone in as they lost three crucial wickets. The Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, and Rassie van der Dussen at ‘oversettingly’ cheap prices. These early shocks indeed gave Ireland a realistic hope that their chase would give them a winning series, thus making it a fight to the end in the chase for South Africa.
