Ireland’s Simi Singh becomes first ever cricketer to score an ODI century batting at No 8 or lower

South Africa overpowered Ireland by 70 runs in the third one-day international at Malahide on Friday to end the series all level at 1-1.

Ireland were eyeing their first ODI campaign success against a top eight nation after a 43-run win on Tuesday put them 1-0 up following a washed out opener.But Janneman Malan’s career-best 177 not out was the centrepiece of the Proteas’ imposing 346-4 on Friday.

Together with Quinton de Kock, who made 120, he shared a first-wicket partnership of 225.

Ireland needed to surpass their previous highest successful chase, of 329 against England last year, for victory. It was a task that proved beyond them, despite Singh’s innings of exactly 100 not out (his first ODI century) in a total of 276. South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo and Tabraiz Shamsi took three wickets apiece.

SA vs IRE scores:
South Africa 346-4, 50 overs (J Malan 177 no, Q de Kock 120)

Ireland 276, 47.1 overs (Simi Singh 100 no, C Campher 54; T Shamsi 3-46, A Phehlukwayo 3-56)

Singh’s innings marks the second brilliant peformance in men’s ODIs this year batting that low. Sam Curran’s valiant 95 not out that went in vain as India sealed the ODI series 2-1 by winning the third and final match in Pune. It was an innings that made England stand-in skipper Jos Buttler see shades of the ‘great finisher’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Curran.

In a tense series decider, Curran, coming out to bat at No 8, led a fine England fightback after they were 200/7 to revive the visitors’ hopes of chasing down 330 but eventually fell short by seven runs.

Curran held the record jointly with fellow English all-rounder Chris Woakes.

Here are the reactions to Singh’s innings:

You can check out the highest scores batting at eight or lower in women’s ODIs here.

With AFP inputs