ABU DHABI (Reuters) – A 136-run opening wicket partnership led South Africa to an eight-wicket win over Ireland in the first of their two-match Twenty20 series at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Ryan Rickleton and Reeza Hendricks put on the highest opening wicket partnership for South Africa in a T20 international on foreign soil, setting the foundation as the team successfully chased down a target of 171-8 set by Ireland, who were put into bat first.
Rickleton made a career best 76 and Hendricks 51 with South Africa reaching 174 with 14 balls to spare.
South Africa-born Curtis Campher top scored for the Irish with 49 while Patrick Kruger took three wickets for South Africa in Ireland’s last over to finish with the game’s best bowling figures of 4-27.
The two teams meet again in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and then next week start a three-match One Day International series at the same venue.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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