A hat-trick by off-spinner Michael Bracewell helped New Zealand thrash Ireland by 88 runs in the second T20I at Belfast on Wednesday and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bracewell picked up Ireland’s last three wickets off consecutive balls in his first ever T20I over as the hosts were bundled out for 91 while chasing the Blackcaps’ total of 179 for four.
Bracewell, playing his second T20I, thus became the third bowler from his team after Jacob Oram and Tim Southeee to claim a hat-trick in the shortest format.
Bracewell finished with figures of 3/5 from 0.5 overs.
Here’s the video:
HAT-TRICK! #MichaelBracewell breezes past Ireland tail.
.
.#IREvNZ @BLACKCAPS @cricketireland pic.twitter.com/aZNuFNiVHK— FanCode (@FanCode) July 20, 2022
Finn Allen (35 off 20) at the top of the order provided a strong start to his team while Phillips (23 off 16) and Daryl Mitchell (14 off 10) offered some assistance to wicketkeeper-batsman Dean Cleaver in the first innings.
For his unbeaten 78 off 55, Cleaver was adjudged player of the match.
“Pretty special day to contribute to a good win for the country. The wicket offered a little bit of variations. It wasn’t my most fluent innings but I stuck to my options and it came off,” said Cleaver during the post-match presentation.
The third and final game of the series will be played on Thursday at the same venue.
