Australia 122 for 4 (Hogan 43, Draper 23*, Basson 3-41) beat South Africa 118 (James 34, Lachmund 3-29, Aryan 2-27) by six wickets
South Africa had been reduced to 37 for 4 inside the powerplay, failing to find answers against the raw pace and movement that Lachmund and Byrom found off the surface. Opener Jorich Van Schalkwyk was the sole bright spot for them, battling his way through this period and putting together a 30-run stand with Paul James, even as he was pinged on the helmet off a brutal Kasey Barton delivery.
Spinner Aryan proved to be particularly troublesome to face, as he kept spinning the ball away from the outside edge of the right-handers. He dropped two catches at point before coming into the attack, but made up for his fielding by scalping up two wickets of his own.
James kept one end steady once Schalkwyk was run out for a 26 off 55, but wickets kept falling at the other. He would eventually be the last batter out, for a 60-ball 34 .
West Indies 226 (Andrew 66, Wilson 3-50, West 2-24) beat Ireland 164 for 7 (West 45, McKenzie 4-36) by 25 runs (DLS method)
Jewel departed just six overs after van Lange, in the 33rd, and the rest of the batters struggled. No one besides him managed to cross the 30-run mark. Reuben Wilson scalped up van Lange, before returning to take out two lower-order batters to finish with figures of 3 for 50, closing out the innings with West Indies bowled out for 226.
However, the going just got worse from there: Ireland lost four wickets to McKenzie, who spun his way through the middle order. Lawes held back his best over for his final one of the match, fizzing out Oliver Riley with its first ball, and then turning the ball prodigiously against Wilson and Bruce Whaley.
Ireland were on 164 for 7 by the time they played out Lawes’ over, needing an unlikely 62 off the final ten overs. The rain had the final say when it interrupted the match and delivered the final blow to Ireland’s hopes. The DLS par score had shot way past Ireland’s total, and when no further play was possible, West Indies walked away with a convincing spin display and a 25-run win to boost their chances in the Super Sixes.
