ICC World Cup 2015: Ireland vs Zimbabwe - As it happened...

Hobart: Ireland won the match after beating Zimbabwe by five runs. Taylor and Williams (121 and 96) respectively led the chase but Ireland went passed the line. Ed Joyce earlier starred for the Irish with a fluent 112 runs. 

OVERS 49.3// RUNS 322// WICKETS 10

Cusack to bowl the final over. Chakabva is on strike and gets bowled off the first ball. Slower ball and the batsman tries to go for a big shot and he deflects it to the stumps. Chatara is the new man in and runs for a cheeky single. Mupariwa goes for a big shot and mis-hits the ball and the long on fielder runs in to catch the ball. Ireland win the match.

T Mupariwa c Porterfield b Cusack 18 (7b)

RW Chakabva b Cusack 17 (16b)

OVERS 49// RUNS 325// WICKETS 8

19 runs come from 49th over.

K O'Brien bowls and Chakabva gets a single. Mupariwa attempts a scoop and gets a couple. The next ball is battered through the covers for a four. K O'Brien gets a similar result off his next ball as Mupariwa gets another four. The next ball is short and Mupariwa pulls it over deep square leg for a six. He gets two off the last ball.

OVERS 48// RUNS 306// WICKETS 8

Panyangara fails to connect the first ball and it goes to the keeper. next ball is worked towards deep square leg and a couple is taken. Panyangara picks the gap straight behind the bowler and gets a brace. The next ball Panyangara goes for a big shot and gifts a catch to Porterfield at long on. The last ball is a dot.

T Panyangara c Porterfield b Mooney 5 (5b)

OVERS 47// RUNS 301// WICKETS 7

39 needed from 24 balls. Chakabva goes big and clears the man at midwicket and gets a four. He gets a single from the next ball and Williams is on strike. He tries to work for a single off a ball bowled in the block hole and is sent back and the bowler  misses the stumps and a run out chance goes begging. Williams then flicks and gets a vital couple. Williams tries to clear the ropes and the fielder at deep square leg catches it on the ropes. Is his feet touching the ropes? Replays show it is close. It is given out. Sad for Williams who goes for 96. Panyangara gets a run off the last ball.

SC Williams c Mooney b KJ O'Brien 102 (83b)

OVERS 46// RUNS 293// WICKETS 6

Cusack bowls and Williams hits a shot through deep extra-cover for two runs. A run is taken of the next ball. Williams is the key here and is into the 90s now. Another centurion for Zimbabwe on the cards? Chakabva runs a quick single and dives to complete the single. Williams rotates the strike again. Poor from Ireland here. Three leg byes as Cusack tumbles after the batsmen scamper for a run and the advancing fielder kicks the ball and two extra runs come. Williams gets a two off the last ball. 

OVERS 45// RUNS 283// WICKETS 6

Williams goes nicely and gets a run. Chakabva works the ball towards long off and runs a single. Williams sweeps and sweeps hard and big for a six over deep square-leg. Another sweep but only a run this time as fielder in short backward leg fields it. The last ball is a dot. But 10 runs from the over.

OVERS 44// RUNS 273// WICKETS 6

Chakabva works the ball through his hips and collects two. A run is taken after the ball is played towards deep midwicket. Williams gets vital two runs playing the ball in the gap towards extra-cover. Williams then flicks it off the hip and gets a four. A run is taken after the shot is played towards long on. Chakabva guides a short ball towards third man and gets a run.

OVERS 43// RUNS 262// WICKETS 6

Ervine gets a single off the first ball. Williams sweeps and finds the fielder at backward leg and just gets a run. Ervine tries to play a reverse sweep and finds the fielder at short third man. McBrine turns the game in Ireland's favour. Regis Chakabva comes in and defends the first ball straight to the bowler. The next ball he works on the leg side and gets a couple. The last ball is played towards long on and a single is taken. 

CR Ervine c NJ O'Brien b McBrine 11 (16b)

OVERS 42// RUNS 257// WICKETS 5

Three balls produces just a run and Mooney is terrific here. Williams scampers for a run off the fourth ball. He is the key for Zimbabwe here. A full toss and Ervine fails to find the gap in the off side. Another dot ball. The last ball is hit straight to the stumps. Only two runs come from the over.

OVERS 41// RUNS 254// WICKETS 5

KJ O'Brien to Ervine and the batsman gets a run after placing it towards midwicket. Williams then places a shot towards deep midwicket and collects a couple. Williams gets a single and this time its Ervine who plays a pull shot and gets a vital four. Fifth ball there is a leg bye and well there was trouble but Williams makes his crease. Williams hits a boundary of the last ball as Niall O'Brien misfields and deflects the ball to the boundary.

OVERS 40// RUNS 241// WICKETS 5

Cusack bowls and Ervine gets a run through to deep midwicket. Mooney fumbles at mid-off and and Williams gets an easy run. Williams then hits a four off the last ball after playing the ball towards deep midwicket and wide mid-on.

OVERS 39// RUNS 234// WICKETS 5

KJ O'Brien to Williams and the first ball is dispatched for six. The ball went over deep midwicket for a six. The next ball is played for a single. Ervine then defends two balls and gets a single. Williams works the ball towards deep midwicket for a couple.

OVERS 38// RUNS 224// WICKETS 5

Brendon Taylor was finally dismissed for 121 and he has turned the game here for Zimbabwe. They are cruising along here and Ireland need more wickets. Williams has been instrumental too and has notched up a fifty. A 149-run partnership was made between Taylor and Williams.

BRM Taylor c KJ O'Brien b Cusack 121 (91b)

OVERS 25// RUNS 131// WICKETS 4

ZIMBABWE LEAD FIGHTBACK!

Zimbabwe are leading a fightback through Taylor who has passed his fifty and Williams who has set himself well. The overs are turning out to be productive for Zimbabwe who have upped the tempo. 

OVERS 17// RUNS 76// WICKETS 4

ZIMBABWE SLUMP!

Three runs come from Dockrell's over. Kevin O'Brien bowls and Taylor hits a shot for four through mid-off. In the last ball of the same over Taylor shuffles across and hits another four past mid-wicket region. Dockrell continues and Taylor gets a brace after driving a ball past the covers. Four runs come from the over. Taylor hammers Brien for a four after hitting a lofted shot past mid-on fielder. In the third ball he launches one more this time clearing mid-off for a four. Nine runs come from the over. McBrine is selected to bowl and and six singles are produced. Mire then is dismissed by Dockrell as the batsman tries to cut and finds the fielder at backward point. Williams is the new man in.

SF Mire c Cusack b Dockrell 11 (21b)

OVERS 11// RUNS 44// WICKETS 3

ZIMBABWE IN SHAMBLES!

Cusack hands another blow and this time it is Chibhabha. After three good deliveries, Chibhabha dances down the track and tries to go for a big heave but the ball skies up in the air and Porterfield completes a good catch. Mire is the new man in and defends the last two balls. Mooney continues and Masakadza hits him for a brace through square leg. Mire then hits a straight drive for a boundary. Next over Kevin O'Brien dismisses Masakadza after he pushes at a ball outside off stump. 

H Masakadza c Wilson b KJ O'Brien 5 (7b)

CJ Chibhabha c Porterfield b Cusack 18 (32b)

OVERS 8// RUNS 32// WICKETS 1

IRELAND GET FIRST WICKET!

Zimbabwe get going as Chibhabha plays a shot straight past the non-striker's head and gets a boundary. Sikandar Raza then smashes Mooney through deep midwicket boundary for a four. Nine runs come from the over. Cusack comes in and bowls a short ball which is given wide. Chibhabha hits over point and gets a couple. Raza gets a brace in Mooney's over playing a shot through the backward leg area. Raza pokes at a delivery outside off stump and gives a catch to Stirling standing at slips. Zimbabwe lose their first wicket.

Sikandar Raza c Stirling b Mooney 12 (19b)

OVERS 5// RUNS 14// WICKETS 0

Zimbabwe have got off to a cautious start and haven't lost a wicket yet. Chibhabha hit Mooney for two fours in the fourth over. Sikandar Raza then gets going after hitting Cusack for a four in the next over between mid-on and midwicket.

BIG CHASE AHEAD!

Zimbabwe leaves the field and has a chase on its hands in Hobart #cwc15 #ZIMvIRE https://t.co/wd4LGzyXys — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 7, 2015

Will Zimbabwe do a Bangladesh against Ireland? Remember a day ago Bangladesh chased down Scotland's 319-run target with two overs to spare. Will Zimbabwe do the same thing? Let's find out in a while...

CHOOSE YOUR SIDE!

Ireland finish with 331 for 8 from 50 overs Will it be enough for their 3rd win in Pool B? #Ire for Yes #Zim for No pic.twitter.com/fYoC4q8t6P — ICC (@ICC) March 7, 2015

OVERS 50// RUNS 331// WICKETS 8

NJ O'Brien departs after a shot played towards third man. Five runs come from the over. Mupariwa bowls and finally Balbirnie departs for 97. he was in the 90s for a long time and is run out. Six runs come from the last over. Ireland have a mammoth score.

A Balbirnie run out 97 (79b)

NJ O'Brien c Panyangara b Chatara 2 (4b)

OVERS 48// RUNS 320// WICKETS 6

ZIMBABWE STRIKE TWICE!

Wilson sweeps past backward square leg fielder and it reaches the boundary ropes. Next ball he tries another shot in the off side and finds the fielder at short cover point. No ball and Mooney the new batsman gets a couple towards the long off region. Next ball goes for a four through deep square leg. Next ball is again a four this time through point. Mooney departs next ball, he wanted to go for a slog and misses the ball. 16 runs come from the over.

JF Mooney b Williams 10 (4b)

GC Wilson c Chakabva b Williams 25 (13b)

OVERS 47// RUNS 304// WICKETS 4

Ireland get past 300!

Mupariwa gets smashed for a four left of the cover fielder by Wilson and two singles follow. Wilson then gets a couple after placing the shot through the sweeper cover region. Chatara then starts off with a wide. A leg-bye follows before Wilson finds the gap between backward point and short third man. Wilson then smashes Chatara for a six over the square leg boundary.

OVERS 45// RUNS 281// WICKETS 4

CHATARA GETS THE WICKET OF KJ O'BRIEN!

Mupariwa to KJ O'Brien and the ball is dispatched to the fence for a four. Three singles follow and Balbirnie then gets his shot past the cover fielder for four. Chatara to KJ O'Brien and it is a waist height full toss and the ball is send rushing to the boundary for a four. Next ball Brien gets out after trying to hit over long-on. Chakabva takes the catch. Next ball is a wide. Wilson is the new batsman. Four runs follow after that. 

KJ O'Brien c Chakabva b Chatara 24 (22b)

OVERS 43// RUNS 260// WICKETS 3

Panyangara bowls and is on the leg side as Balbirnie gets an inside edge and finds the ropes through the fine leg region. He then hits a six past the bowler's head. Panyangara follows it up with a wide. Next ball gets cleared for another six over the square leg boundary. The batsman then hits a four off the last ball. Splendid stuff this.

OVERS 42// RUNS 239// WICKETS 3

KJ O'Brien slaps Mupariwa powerfully over mid-off. Next ball he gets dropped at short extra-cover. Terrible fielding that. Williams bowls and gives away a wide and three singles before Balbirnie slaps a six off the last ball. It was launched over deep mid-wicket. KJ O'Brien gets a couple off Raza's bowling through short fine-leg. KJ O'Brien then smacks over the bowler's head for a four. Six runs come from the over.

OVERS 39// RUNS 218// WICKETS 3

ED JOYCE DEPARTS AFTER A SPLENDID 112 RUNS!

Chatara comes on to bowl and Balbirnie scoops it over wide mid-off for a couple. He then slices it well in the region of the sweeper cover and gets another brace. He gets a single from the third ball and Joyce comes on strike. Chatara gets his man, Joyce departs for a well made 112. Timely wicket for Zimbabwe. Simple catch to short mid-wicket. Ervine holds on to the catch and makes amends. KJ O'Brien comes in and gets off the mark.

EC Joyce c Ervine b Chatara 112 (103b)

OVERS 38// RUNS 212// WICKETS 2

Balbirnie gets to his fifty!

Raza bowls and Joyce drives but it goes straight to the fielder. Craig Ervine then drops Joyce. Chance dropped! Joyce goes for the lofted extra cover drive and it was on the chest height and Ervine drops it. Balbirnie then gets the maximum in the 4th ball and it just clears the man in deep midwicket boundary. A run comes from the next ball and then Joyce attacks hard. A six over deep midwicket boundary.

WHAT AN INNINGS!

HUNDRED! Magnificent innings from Ed Joyce! His 1st World Cup Century, just 96 balls for the innings #Ire 191 for 2 pic.twitter.com/U1UHbMq27T — ICC (@ICC) March 7, 2015

OVERS 37// RUNS 198// WICKETS 2

ED JOYCE SLAMS 100!

Ed Joyce brings up his hundred after hitting a half tracker and getting a brace. Next ball an over-pitched one and Joyce smacks it over cover for four. Panyangara then concedes a single and Joyce gets off strike. Balbirnie gets a couple from the last ball of the over.

OVERS 36// RUNS 186// WICKETS 2

Mupariwa gets treated with a four by Balbirnie through the off side. Full and juicy and the batsman caresses it through backward point. Three singles then follow. 

OVERS 35// RUNS 179// WICKETS 2

Joyce and Balbirnie have put forward a 100-run partnership.

Zimbabwe have let Ireland get away and after a slow start for the European side, they have got hold off this match. Ed Joyce has entered into the 90s and Balbirnie has supported him well. Nine runs come from William's over and Ireland are looking for a push on. 

OVERS 21// RUNS 84// WICKETS 2

Zimbabwe strike again!

Mupariwa drops a skier off his own bowling and that allows Joyce to run a brace. Five runs come from the over. Porterfield tries to make room and go big against Williams and Masakadza takes an easy catch at mid-off. Balbirnie is the new man in. He hits a four of the fifth ball 

WTS Porterfield c Masakadza b Williams 29 (61b)

OVERS 19// RUNS 74// WICKETS 1

Fifty partnership up for Joyce and Porterfield!

Mupariwa bowls and Joyce mistimes a shot towards wide mid-on and and gets a brace. He then gets a single from the next ball and that's all from the over. Raza then concedes five runs that included a two with Joyce sweeping from the middle stump. Mupariwa bowls a fuller delivery and Joyce places it well for a four. Portefield then slices a ball that falls short of third man fielder. Sean Williams is brought in and he gives away four runs. 

The conditions are slow and Zimbabwe have used the conditions well. Ireland are finding it difficult to score.

OVERS 15// RUNS 56// WICKETS 1

Mupariwa replaces Chatara and Joyce defends the first four balls and manages to get a single after opening the face of the bat and guiding it towards third man. Sikandar Raza too is given the ball and spin will be seen here. Three singles come before Porterfield whips one for a brace. Mupariwa continues and both batsmen get singles before Joyce steers one towards third man and gets a couple. Raza meanwhile contains and contains well. Two runs come from the over. 

OVERS 11// RUNS 44// WICKETS 1

Panyangara concentrates outside the off side channel and doesn't give anything away as Porterfield defends. In the last ball he hits a four which was a full toss and was smashed over cover. Chatara continues and the first two balls produce singles. He then bowls a wide down the leg side. Joyce then hits a four off the last ball through square cover region. Panyangara still is bowling really well here. Gentle outside the off stump and Porterfield is keen to defend. He manages to get a brace though through mid-off. Chatara then concedes a four to Joyce who glances the ball past the keeper. Five runs come from the over. Panyangara continues around the wicket and the batsmen run a close single. Porterfield gets a single on the leg side with the ball drifting down the channel. Last ball Joyce hits through the off side for a run. 

OVERS 6// RUNS 23// WICKETS 1

Panyangara bowls and well he manages to force an edge off Joyce and Masakadza catches it but the ball just falls a bit short. Replays show just a bit. Three singles are taken in the rest of the over. Chatara then keeps it to length and isn't allowing the batsmen anything. Just two runs come from his over with. 

OVERS 4// RUNS 18// WICKETS 1

Panyangara strikes!

Chatara bowls a decent second ovcr that included two runs, a wide and a single to Porterfield. Panyangara continues and Porterfield drives through the off side for three runs. Juicy ball and was asked to be hit. Stirling then gets a brace flicking off his pads on the leg side. Two dots follow before Stirling departs. Short and wide and Stirling slashes at it and finds the point fielder. Porterfield places a shot towards square-leg and picks two. The rest of the over from Chatara is defended well.

PR Stirling c Williams b Panyangara 10 (11b

OVERS 1// RUNS 9// WICKETS 0

Panyangara starts off with the proceedings for Zimbabwe and the first ball is left alone by Porterfield. The batsman then plays a drive left of mid-off and gets a single. The next ball hits Stirling's pads as it was a fuller one but going down the leg side. Stirling then gets going with a beautiful lean shot between short midwicket and mid-on for a four. The last ball is flicked through the leg side for another four. 

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The pitch here looks hard and greenish. Expect the ball to come into the bat nicely and a lot of runs could be scored.

A peek at the dressing room earlier!

Across the Tasman it's shaping up to be a big afternoon in Hobart. Here's a peek at the dressing rooms: #ZIMvIRE pic.twitter.com/z5R2RxOOhD — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 7, 2015

A look at the pitch!

Ten minutes until the toss in Hobart, would you bat or bowl on this wicket? #cwc15 #ZIMvIRE pic.twitter.com/lY47uTIHDk — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 7, 2015

TEAMS FROM

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Chamu Chibhabha, Sikandar Raza, Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza,Brendan Taylor(w/c), Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Regis Chakabva, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara.

Ireland (Playing XI): William Porterfield(c), Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce, , Andrew Balbirnie,Gary Wilson(w), , John Mooney, George Dockrell, Max Sorensen, Andy McBrine.

Zimbabwe have won the toss and have opted to field.

Practice session!

Zimbabwe is warming up at Bellerive, not long to go now! #cwc15 #ZIMvIRE https://t.co/kl3jNjVxgl — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 7, 2015

Ireland Squad

William Porterfield (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien (wicket-keeper), Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson (wicket-keeper), Craig Young

Zimbabwe Squad

Elton Chigumbura (captain), Regis Chakabva†, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Craig  Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, TTinashe Panyangara, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor (wicket-keeper), Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams