Ireland goes down to Australia by nine wickets

Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith shared an unbeaten 126-run stand as Australia romped to a nine-wicket win in its one-off One-Day International against Ireland at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Tuesday (September 27).

Khawaja made 82 and Smith an 59 as Australia chased down a modest Irish target of 199 with 19.5 overs to spare.

It was a second heavy defeat in a row for Ireland, which lost by 206 runs at the same venue on Sunday against South Africa.

Ireland let slip a promising start, going from 121 for 2 to 198 all out.

The foundation laid by William Porterfield (24), Paul Stirling (30) and John Anderson (39) was frittered away when it lost three wickets for two runs in the space of seven balls.

Anderson was lbw to Scott Boland before Daniel Worrall, the debutant, claimed his first wicket when he had Gary Wilson caught behind. Sean Terry was run out next ball, and the game slipped away from Ireland then.

Adam Zampa was Australia's most successful bowler, taking 3 for 37. He made good use of his variations, taking two wickets with googlies and one with a flipper.

Zampa apart, the inexperienced Australian bowling attack looked like it needed more control, sending down 13 wides for a total of 19 runs.

David Warner got Australia off to a rapid start, dominating a 73-run first-wicket stand with Khawaja. Warner hit 48 in 30 balls, with five fours and two sixes, before being dismissed caught and bowled by Tim Murtagh.

Khawaja was dropped twice, on eight and 73, by Peter Chase in the deep off Barry McCarthy, but hit eight fours and two sixes in his 77-ball innings. Smith, returning to action after being rested during a recent ODI series in Sri Lanka, finished with 59 off 73 balls.

Australia and South Africa next face-off in a five-ODI series, starting in Centurion on Friday.