Zimbabwe vs Ireland, 3rd ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

So, time to bring down the curtains to this ODI series. The hosts would be very chuffed with the result as well as the performances of Curran, Bennett, Gwandu, Madhevere et all. The pace battery of Muzarabani, Ngarava and Gwandu did really well. Masakadza with his bowling was very accurate. The toss might have played a huge role today. But Ireland won the toss twice and the hosts only once but still the hosts have managed to clinch the series. And had Campher not triggered that middle-order collapse in the second game, who knows what could have happened! Ireland need to polish their bowling plans a little. Batting looks solid but was just out of touch I guess. But the bowling looked jaded and never managed to put a lot of pressure barring that one spell from Campher. We are done for the day. But we will be back with more cricketing action.

Craig Ervine: Everybody is ecstatic. Lot of hard work has been put in the last few months. Winning the toss was key. You still had to bowl. Richard was superb. Trevor was superb as first change. When you do get the initial platform, it gives the guys coming like me and Raza to play freely. Ben and Brian have done well to follow their processes. We have spoken at length when you get in, make it count. Ben got in and carried on for a match-winning score. The composure and calmness throughout today was outstanding. We had won the first game before as well but would lose the next two. But not today thanks to the calmness showed by the lads.

Paul Stirling: We were pretty happy at the halfway mark. But we could have scored 20 more. We tried to cash in at the back end. I was pleased at the halfway stage. But wasn't to be. Everytime we come here, we know the challenge. Always a good series here. Plenty of time after the series for sightseeing. Looking forward to a good T20I series.

Brian Bennett | Player of the Series: Nice to be here. Am doing my best for my team. I like batting at the top with the new ball. Just prefer batting at the top. Just staying there for a long time. The more balls to face, it gets easier. Definitely looking forward to the T20s.

Ben Curran | Player of the Match: Unbelievable feeling. To be honest, in the first two games I faced too many balls in the powerplay. Luckily hit a few into the gap today. I think the surfaces were pretty similar. It got better today in the afternoon. Good feeling and very proud to be representing Zimbabwe.

16:55 Local Time, 14:55 GMT, 20:25 IST: Zimbabwe lost the only Test. But they have bounced back in the ODIs. So, one format each to both the sides. Zimbabwe won the toss today and that had a massive impact on the result. 240 was never enough. Three Irish batters got fifties but the rate at which they got them didn't really help the case of the visitors. 270 looked par. But in hindsight, even that wouldn't have been enough. Bennett and Curran started off on a strong note and added a century for the opening stand. There was a rain break due to some passing showers. The action after the break saw Bennett getting out. But Ervine walked in and batted with a lot of confidence. The pacemen of Zimbabwe had more nip but the Irish bowlers just couldn't replicate the same. The Zim batters looked very much at ease and it was a very simple chase in the end.

Dockrell to Ervine, SIX, straight down the ground for a sixer. Ervine thumps one down the ground. Zimbabwe have thumped Ireland. They take the series 2-1. 241 never looked enough and Ervine as well as Ben Curran have made short work of this. They win with more than 10 overs to spare and also had 9 wickets remaining

Dockrell to Ervine, no run, drills the ball down to mid-off. The wait to end soon

Dockrell to Ervine, no run, close to the sticks, chops it down with the ball dribbling down near the sticks

Dockrell to Ervine, 5 wides, poor delivery! Pretty much sums up the day for Ireland. Directionless and hapless. Was a poor ball down leg, Ervine looked to clip it and missed it. The keeper missed it and five wides

Andy McBrine to Ben Curran, 2 runs, one shot away now! Ben Curran stays back and spanks it off the back foot. The man at cover looks to stop that and misfields it. They get two more. This has been a proper hammering. It was expected to be a keen tussle but Ben Curran and Ervine had other ideas

Andy McBrine to Ben Curran, FOUR, dropped short, bad ball, Ben Curran goes back and pulls it wide of mid-wicket for a four. Moves to 116. Ben Curran wants to finish it early now

Andy McBrine to Ben Curran, no run, stabs it down into the off-side as that was a flatter one

Andy McBrine to Ben Curran, FOUR, uses his reach, finds it outside off, launches it over mid-on for a one bounce four. That was muscled hard by Ben Curran

Andy McBrine to Ben Curran, 2 runs, dances down, looks to loft it, mistimes it and gets it over cover. They get a brace

Andy McBrine to Ervine, 1 run, tossed up delivery, driven down to long-off for a single

Dockrell to Ervine, 1 run, goes back and slaps the cut down to deep cover for a single. 20 needed now for Zim to win this

False start.

Dockrell to Ervine, 2 runs, steps out and tucks it wide of the man at mid-wicket for a brace. That was well placed by Ervine and a good call as well

Dockrell to Ben Curran, 1 run, stays back and tucks the ball down to long-on for a single