Ryan Burl says Chevrons’ best cricket is yet to come

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

ALL-ROUNDER Ryan Burl says the Chevrons are yet to play their best cricket in the ongoing T-20 series against Ireland.

The five-match series is presently tied at 1-1 after Zimbabwe won the first game by three wickets on Friday and Ireland leveled the series with a seven-wicket win on Sunday.

On Sunday Zimbabwe posted 152, thanks largely to a strong lower-order stand. Milton Shumba and Ryan Burl put on an unbeaten 88 runs in 59 balls, the Chevrons’ highest for the sixth wicket stand or lower, helping them recover from 64 for 5.

Their efforts were all in vain as Kevin O’Brien scored his first T20I half-century since October 2019 to help Ireland square the five-match series.

O’Brien and Paul Stirling put on an opening partnership of 59 to put Ireland on track to win.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow coming out as the losing side. l think we had done well to consolidate our wickets after losing a cluster of wickets early on,” Burl said.

“Unfortunately, we got it wrong today, but we have to learn and we move forward and get it right. We have not played good cricket yet. We have shown it in patches, but we have to ensure we get the whole thing going. Moving on to Bready for the third ODI we are hoping with some good weather we can get some high scores,” said Burl.

Schedule

• 1 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 3rd T20I

• 2 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 4th T20I

• 4 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 5th T20I

• 6 September: Ireland Wolves v Zimbabwe XI – ODM

World Cup Super League series:

• 8 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 1st ODI

• 10 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 2nd ODI

• 13 September: Ireland Men v Zimbabwe Men – 3rd ODI