We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Pitch Report
The average first and second innings scores at Castle Avenue, Dublin read the same: 132. The chasing team has won 2 of 3 games. Expect an even battle between the bat and ball.
Teams
Probable XI for Ireland: Leah Paul, Gaby Lewis (c), Mary Waldron (wk), Shauna Kavanagh, Rachel Delaney, Arlene Kelly, Jane Maguire, Celeste Raack, Georgina Dempsey, Cara Murray, Sarah Forbes
Probable XI for South Africa: Sune Luus (c), Trisha Chetty (wk), Lara Goodall, Chloe Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt, Nadine de Klerk, Tazmin Brits, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayabonga Khaka, Anne Bosch, Nonkululeko Mlaba
Players to watch out for
Laura Wolvaardt had scores of 1* and *9 in the last two games. By the time she took the crease, she did not have much to score. The ODIs, however, will be different. The talented batter has excellent numbers in the 50-over game: 2,915 runs at 45 including 3 hundreds and 26 fifties in 74 games.
Despite her side being on the losing side, Gaby Lewis ended up as the highest run-scorer in the T20I series. Her 112 runs came at an average of 37.3. To add fuel to the fire, her last five ODI scores read 24, 65, 96*, 78, and 36.
Tumi Sekhukhune was at her peak, taking 8 wickets in 3 T20Is. She did the bulk of the damage in the death overs.
Anne Bosch got starts in all three games: 29, 32*, and 44. She also gave fantasy points with the solitary wicket she bagged in the second game with her right-arm medium pace.
Lara Goodall’s scores in her last five competitive games read 49, 28, 0, 52, and 48. She has been in top-notch form since the World Cup.
After her all-round show (47 runs and 1 for 21) in the opening game, Leah Paul’s performance went downhill. However, her last few scores in ODIs are encouraging: 13, 95, 63, 12, and 25.
Shauna Kavanagh was in good touch against Zimbabwe in ODIs last year. Overall in the format, she has scored 191 runs and taken 13 catches behind the wicket in 22 games.
Sune Luus is a veteran of 100 ODIs. She has scored 1,686 runs and taken 109 wickets. Watch out for her all-round skills.
Match Preview
Ireland lost the T20Is 1-2, and to make matters worse, have won only 1 of 15 ODIs against South Africa. They batted well at times, but their bowling lacked teeth. The lack of experienced players in the side and playing against a top-quality team seemed to have affected their morale.
Time: June 11, 3:15 PM IST