On This Day — New Zealand Edge Past Ireland by Just 1 Run While Defending 360

Ireland put up an incredible fight and came heartbreakingly close to pulling off a historic chase. They fell short by just 1 run, turning what seemed like an easy win for New Zealand into one of the most thrilling ODIs in recent times. It was a performance full of spirit and belief from the Irish team. Let’s see how the match unfolded.

Ireland vs New Zealand: 15th July 2022

The match, which many figured would be a breeze for New Zealand, turned into an absolute nail-biter at The Village in Malahide, Dublin, on July 15, 2022. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat, piling on a hefty 360/6 in their 50 overs, setting Ireland a massive target in the final game of a three-match ODI series, which the Black Caps swept 3-0. Their innings was a masterclass in batting, with a mix of steady starts, big partnerships, and a late surge, driven by a fantastic century from Martin Guptill.

New Zealand kicked things off with a bang. Openers Martin Guptill and Finn Allen went after the bowling right away, racing to 78 runs in just 9.2 overs. Guptill, who later bagged the Player of the Match award, played with cool-headed aggression, scoring 115 off 126 balls, smashing 15 fours and 2 sixes. Allen was all fire, hammering 33 off 28 balls with 7 fours before Josh Little got him caught by George Dockrell. The powerplay was electric, with New Zealand reaching 79/1 in 10 overs. But Ireland hit back when Will Young, looking out of sorts, was run out for 3 off 12 balls after a mix-up, leaving the score at 86/2 after 12.2 overs.

Guptill didn’t let up, finding a great partner in captain Tom Latham, who cracked a quick 30 off 26 balls, including 3 fours and a six. They added 60 runs for the third wicket, pushing New Zealand past 100 in the 15th over. Latham was looking good but got caught by Harry Tector off Curtis Campher’s bowling, making it 146/3 in the 23rd over. Guptill, meanwhile, reached his fifty off 43 balls, playing some gorgeous drives and lofted shots that kept the crowd buzzing.

The middle overs were where New Zealand took control, thanks to Guptill and Henry Nicholls. The pair put on a cracking 96-run stand for the fourth wicket. Guptill brought up his hundred off 116 balls, a knock full of poise and power. Nicholls was just as impressive, blasting 79 off 54 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes, racing to his fifty in 38 balls. Their partnership took New Zealand to 242 before Guptill was trapped lbw by Gareth Delany in the 37th over. Nicholls kept going but was bowled by Craig Young in the 44th over, leaving New Zealand at 296/5. By then, they crossed 200 in the 33rd over and 250 in the 40th, setting up a big finish.

The final overs saw Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell turn up the heat. Phillips smashed 47 off 30 balls, with 5 fours and 2 sixes, while Bracewell stayed not out on 21 off 16 balls, hitting a four and a six. Their 45-run stand for the sixth wicket in just 22 balls was pure fireworks, helping New Zealand loot 106 runs in the third powerplay (40.1–50 overs). Mitchell Santner chipped in with an unbeaten 14 off 10 balls, rounding off a strong total of 360/6. Extras, including 9 leg byes, 2 no-balls, and 7 wides, added 18 runs to the tally.

Ireland’s bowlers had a tough day. Josh Little was the best of the lot, taking 2/84 in 10 overs, while Craig Young (1/56), Curtis Campher (1/46), and Gareth Delany (1/50) each grabbed a wicket. Graham Hume (0/62) and Andy McBrine (0/53) couldn’t find a breakthrough and went for plenty. Ireland tried two reviews, but both were unsuccessful, and they struggled to slow New Zealand down, especially in the death overs. Guptill’s century, Nicholls’ quickfire knock, and the late charge from Phillips and Bracewell made sure New Zealand set a daunting 361 for Ireland to chase.

Ireland’s chase of 361 was nothing short of epic, falling just one run short at 359/9 in 50 overs, making it one of the tightest ODI finishes you’ll ever see. The match, which many thought New Zealand would run away with, saw Ireland fight like warriors, with brilliant centuries from Paul Stirling and Harry Tector. A gutsy effort in the final overs had everyone on the edge of their seats.

Things started badly for Ireland, with captain Andy Balbirnie out for a duck, trapped lbw by Matt Henry in the second over. But Paul Stirling and Andy McBrine got things going, putting on 55 runs for the second wicket. McBrine hit a quick 26 off 20 balls before Henry had him caught, leaving Ireland at 62/2 after 10 overs. Then came the game’s defining partnership: Stirling and Harry Tector put on a stunning 179 runs for the third wicket. Stirling was all-out attack, scoring 120 off 103 balls with 14 fours and 5 sixes, while Tector played a gem, making 108 off 106 balls with 7 fours and 5 sixes. By the 35th over, Ireland were 241/3, with Stirling hitting his century off 91 balls and Tector reaching his off 96.

The chase took a hit when Stirling was caught off Henry in the 35th over, followed by Gareth Delany (22 off 16) and Curtis Campher (5 off 4) falling to Mitchell Santner and Blair Tickner. At 278/5 after 40 overs, Ireland needed 83 runs off the last 10 overs. Tector’s dismissal, bowled by Santner in the 44th over, and Lorcan Tucker’s exit for 14 off 15 balls left Ireland at 320/7, needing 41 runs off the final four overs with George Dockrell and Graham Hume at the crease.

The 47th over, bowled by Matt Henry, kept Ireland alive with 9 runs. Dockrell got a lucky four when an edge off a full, wide ball beat the keeper, but a slower bouncer fooled him into leaving it, thinking it was a wide. Hume added a single, and the crowd was roaring. Blair Tickner’s 48th over went for 8 runs, with Dockrell pulling a short ball for one and Hume getting a single off a slower bouncer. With 17 runs needed off 12 balls, Dockrell (18 off 14) and Hume (4 off 6) were still in the fight. Henry’s 49th over was a rollercoaster: Dockrell flicked a low full toss for four, but Henry struck back, getting Dockrell (22 off 17) caught at long-on. With 10 runs needed off the final over and two wickets in hand, the tension was unreal.

Blair Tickner bowled the last over, with Ireland needing 10 runs. Hume swung at a slow, short ball and missed, followed by another dot. A single to Hume kept hope alive, and Craig Young smashed a four when Glenn Phillips dropped a tough catch at midwicket, bringing it to 5 runs off 2 balls. Young’s top-edged heave off the next ball led to a run-out as he tried for two, leaving Ireland requiring 4 off the final ball. Hume swung at a slower ball, missed, and could only manage a bye as keeper Tom Latham ran to the stumps to stop any more runs. Ireland ended at 359/9, one run short of a historic win.

Matt Henry (4/68) and Mitchell Santner (3/71) were New Zealand’s heroes with the ball, while Tickner’s (1/71) final over sealed the deal. Ireland’s effort, helped by 28 extras (11 leg byes, 5 byes, 1 no-ball, 11 wides), was incredible. Stirling and Tector’s centuries, plus Dockrell’s 22 off 17 and Young’s 6 off 3, showed Ireland’s heart. The final overs, especially the 49th and 50th, were a testament to their fighting spirit, making this a memorable chapter in the 2022 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.