South Africa ease past Ireland

South Africa pulled off a comprehensive win over Ireland in the second one-day international of the HBV Studios International Women's Cricket Series, chasing down 214 with more than 11 overs to spare at Clontarf Cricket Club.

Andrie Steyn and Lara Goodall starred with the bat for the Proteas, putting on an unbeaten 165 for the second wicket – South Africa’s sixth-highest partnership in ODIs – to take the visitors home.

Sune Luus won the toss and chose to bowl first as South Africa looked to build on their sensational win in the first game, when they bowled Ireland out for 69.

Shabnim Ismail impressed once again, bowling Leah Paul in the second over for 2.

Gaby Lewis and Rachel Delaney were then watchful against the new-ball pair of Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka, with just eight runs coming off the first eight overs.

A change in bowling saw Lewis find her first boundary, with Nadine de Klerk driven through the covers for four. But de Klerk struck from the first ball of her third over, finding Delaney’s outside edge to gift keeper Trisha Chetty with a catch.

Mary Waldron fell in the next over, but Lewis continued to score, and greeted the returning Ismail in the 17th over with a pull for four.

However, the end of the 22nd over saw another Irish wicket fall, with Sarah Forbes dismissed for 9 after a direct hit from Laura Wolvaardt.

From 66-4, Ireland underwent a rebuild as Sophie MacMahon joined Lewis out in the middle.

MacMahon showed intent from the get-go, racing to 31 off 27 while Lewis moved to the fourth half-century of her ODI career off 70 balls.

Lewis and MacMahon’s 69-run stand ended in the 33rd over, with Luus removing her Irish counterpart for 59, and de Klerk bowled MacMahon six deliveries later to leave Ireland with two new