Black Caps win ODI thriller against Ireland

The Black Caps have secured a series victory over Ireland by the narrowest of margins in Malahide.

Martin Guptill top scored for the Black Caps in the third win over Ireland.
Photo: Inpho / www.photosport.nz

New Zealand won the third and final ODI game by one run on Saturday morning, in a game that went down to the final ball.

Batting first for the first time in the series, the Black Caps posted 360-6 on the back of 115 runs for opening batter Martin Guptill and a half century for Henry Nicholls.

Finn Allen (33), Tom Latham (30) and big-hitting Glenn Phillips (47) also contributed to total that was nearly chased down.

Guptill and Allen’s 78-run opening partnership set a platform for New Zealand to push on from.

Guptill reached his 50 off 43 balls but slowed the pace as he approached his 18th ODI century, taking 18 balls to move from 90 to triple figures.

Nicholl’s 79 runs, scored from his new place in the middle order, was his highest score in a while as he took to Ireland’s offspin bowling.

In reply, Ireland fell just short of their first win of the series.

Paul Stirling (115) and Harry Tector (108) were the big contributers with the bat in the loss.

Needing 10 runs off the last over, Black Caps seamer Blair Tickner was able to restrict the Irish to nine runs, despite Glenn Phillips recording his third dropped chance of the day.

Tickner conceded one run from his first two deliveries before Phillips dropped Craig Young next ball and ended up pushing the ball past the boundary rope for four.

Young ran himself out next ball while trying to scramble a second run, leaving Ireland with four to get off the last two balls.

With number 11 batter Josh Little on strike, he could only manage a single off the penultimate ball and debutant Graham Hume scored a bye off the last ball as the Black Caps hung on for victory

Matt Henry was the best with the ball for New Zealand taking four wickets from his 10 overs.