South Africa easily win first ever T20 vs Ireland by 33 runs

Ireland chose to bowl first against South Africa and ended up being bowled out in losing the first ever Twenty20 between them by 33 runs at Malahide on Monday.

South Africa was restricted to a sub-par 165-7 bolstered by tailender Kagiso Rabada's four boundaries in the last over, but Ireland couldn't round up a chase. At 46-5 in the eighth over, it was all but over. The Irish dragged out all 20 overs and finished on 132-9.

Last pair Barry McCarthy and Josh Little scored T20 career-bests of 30 and 15 respectively in an unbeaten stand of 44.

But the match wasn't competitive, surprisingly after a thrilling one-day international series that was drawn 1-1 last week.

Paul Stirling hit the first ball of Ireland's chase delivered by George Linde for a six over deep midwicket. On the second ball, his middle stump was bowled.

Fellow opener Kevin O'Brien, back for the T20s, went for a first-ball duck, caught and bowled by Rabada.

George Dockrell edged Lungi Ngidi behind on 2, and Andy Balbirnie also tried to whack Ngidi, and also edged behind on 22.

It became a game-over 47-5 when Simi Singh, a century-maker in the last ODI on Friday, was bowled for 4 by left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who took 4-27.

Sent in to bat, the South Africans made starts, but every time someone tried to up the run rate they were soon out. The high score was 39 from Aiden Markram.

Quinton de Kock made 20 off 11 until he mistimed to mid off, and Janneman Malan was out for 4 at midwicket to a fumbled catch.

Captain Temba Bavuma tried reverse sweeping only to edge behind at 44-3.

There were 26 more balls without a boundary. Rassie van der Duren had enough, and went for 25 off 18. Markram added his 39 off 30 and was stumped at 115-5.

Medium-pacer Mark Adair had a well deserved 3-22 off three overs before he was given the ball for the last over, which South Africa started on 147-8.

Rabada hit the first four deliveries to the boundary and 17 came from the morale-boosting over.

The second T20 is on Thursday in Belfast.