(ESPNCRICINFO) – Ireland have run India, New Zealand and now South Africa close, but not close enough, as they slumped to their seventh successive defeat in T20Is. This time, they were asked to complete their highest successful chase and fell 21 runs short, though they were closer than that margin would suggest for much of their innings.

On a ground with short straight and square boundaries, bowlers across both sides had expensive outings. South Africa posted their highest score against Ireland, though they may have wanted it to be higher still. After slipping to 45 for 2, a 112-run third-wicket stand between Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram put them in a position to push for a score of 220-plus.

Gareth Delany removed the pair in successive deliveries, and Ireland had the chance to pull South Africa back. But Tristan Stubbs’ 24 off 11 balls and Dwaine Pretorius’ 21 off seven deliveries helped South Africa post 53 runs off the last four overs.

South Africa were helped by an undisciplined effort from Ireland with the ball. They bowled 13 wides – and more than two extra overs as a result – and only three of their seven-bowler attack conceded less than ten runs an over.

South Africa’s spinners were the only ones who did not travel, and in the absence of the injured Kagiso Rabada and the rested Anrich Nortje, will be reasonably pleased with their effort. Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi took 4 for 66 in their combined eight overs and were complemented by clever use of slower balls from Lungi Ngidi, and yorkers by Dwaine Pretorius and Wayne Parnell.

Ireland were in the chase until the 17th over when Lorcan Tucker was dismissed. He put on 86 runs with George Dockrell for the sixth wicket and built on a strong power-play while brushing aside the loss of 3 for 12 between the eighth and the tenth over.

de Kock’s curious run
Apart from a blazing undefeated 92 in the washed-out third ODI against England in Leeds, it has been a quiet tour for Quinton de Kock, especially in T20Is.
He has scored just 24 runs in four innings, and hasn’t looked like his usual destructive self. He had a busy but unremarkable start against Ireland too, with ones or twos scored mostly on the leg side.

That is when he tried to force things, and set off for a quick single after bunting Mark Adair down the ground. Harry Tector sensed an opportunity for an intervention, ran in from mid-off, and his direct hit found the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with de Kock short of his crease. The decision was confirmed on review, and South Africa were in early trouble on 23 for 1.

Hendricks in the runs again
Here is one for your next sports quiz: What do Hendricks, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Gustav McKeon and Rayyankhan Pathan have in common?
They are the only five batters in the game to have scored four T20I fifties in succession, with Hendricks joining the list on the day.

He topped up on his three against England with an easy-as-you-like-it 74 yesterday. Hendricks looked in control from the moment he lofted Josh Little over the covers for six, with what seemed minimal effort.
He showed his power game with the pull and the cut, as also the smooth stroke-play he has built his reputation on with silken cover drives.
Hendricks’ fifty came up off 32 balls, and he went on to equal his career-best of 74 from 53 deliveries.