Chasing 269 for victory, Ervine - dropped on 64 - took advantage of the reprieve sharing stands of 98 for the third wicket with Sean Williams (43) and 64 in just 61 balls with Friday's batting hero Sikandar Raza (33). Kevin O'Brien (2-46) was the pick of the Irish attack, taking his 200th wicket for Ireland in the process. However, the rest of the attack failed to make a serious impression on a batsman friendly track.

Earlier three Irish batsmen scored half centuries - only the second time this has been achieved by them against a Full Member - the other was the famous World Cup win over the West Indies in Nelson earlier this year. Paul Stirling top scored with 72 from 77 balls (9 fours) dominating a second wicket stand of 66 with Ed Joyce (17) before both were dismissed in identical fashion - trapped lbw by Sikandar Raza (3-49).

The recalled Niall O'Brien benefitted from an early drop to reach his 15th ODI half-century from 61 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes), sharing a run-a-ball fifth wicket partnership of 64 with Gary Wilson. Wilson continued his excellent form with a superb 65 from just 55 deliveries, thumping six fours and 3 huge sixes, before being unluckily run out.

Ireland's final total of 268 for 7 certainly seemed competitive at the half-way stage, but Ervine's brilliant hundred ensured Zimbabwe will remain above Ireland in the ICC rankings. Ireland will have the chance to gain a consolation win in the final game of the series at the same venue on Tuesday.

Ian Callender (Belfast Telegraph) reports:
IRELAND have only ranking points to play when they complete the one-day series against Zimbabwe after the Test nation claimed an unbeatable 2-0 lead with a five wickets win in Harare. And, once again, it was a familiar face who beat them with former Lisburn and Northern Knights batsman Craig Ervine, top scorer with 60 in the first game on Friday, winning yesterday’s with the boundary which brought up his second ODI century.

Ireland had posted 268 for seven but although three Ireland batsmen scored half centuries - Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson, his second in succession, and Niall O’Brien – they could not go onto to the three-figure score which was the difference between victory and defeat. Both teams scored 202 for four in the first 40 overs but Ireland managed just 18 off the next five overs “which is not what you want when you are looking to take the total past par,” admitted coach John Bracewell. “And we only got a par score on a much better surface.”

As in the first game, Zimbabwe raced away in their reply, and despite losing two early wickets, including Kevin O’Brien’s 200th for Ireland, they brought up the 100 in the 18th over. Crucially, Ervine was dropped on 64 by Niall O’Brien, back with the wicket-keeping gloves, and that proved Ireland’s last chance.

Stirling and Ed Joyce can say they received harsh lbw decisions from the local umpire but Bracewell had no complaints. “I was brought up without DRS, you take the rough with the smooth. One team usually plays better than the other and today Zimbabwe and Ervine, in particular, played magnificently and he judged his innings extremely well,” added the coach.

Ireland chose to go into the game with the same bowling attack which failed to defend 219 on Friday – Niall O’Brien for Thompson was the only team change – and again they were found wanting. The pitches at the Harare Sports Club are renowned for getting better as the day progresses and under the extreme heat of the afternoon sun, the Irish certainly had the tougher time. Zimbabwe took 24 off the first three overs, with the help of a couple of misfields and it was a superiority they never relinquished.

George Dockrell bowled his 10 overs for just 43 runs but Andy McBrine and Paul Stirling could be trusted with only six overs each – both went for more than six an over and the only wicket taken by the spinners was a gift from Sean Williams who hit McBrine straight to long-off. Kevin O’Brien proved the pick of the pace bowlers but there were too many loose deliveries from John Mooney and Tim Murtagh and this time a fourth seamer – Craig Young, with his extra pace? – could have made a difference.

Worryingly, only four batsmen have made any worthwhile contribution in the first two games with the captain, playing with his bat away from his body, dismissed in single figures for a fourth successive innings. Poor judge of a run cost Andrew Balbirnie his wicket while Kevin O’Brien and John Mooney faced 22 balls between them for just 12 runs – all in the last eight overs – indeed the in-demand player in the shortest format played out a maiden from slow left armer Wellington Mazakadza.

Despite Bracewell’s comments, however, Stirling was cut off in his prime, having scored 72 – his best for Ireland in white ball cricket for 17 innings – off 77 balls with nine fours, Joyce looked similarly unlucky although, most unusually, he had scored from only 10 of his 46 balls, while the in-form Wilson was stranded out of his crease after Mooney’s drive had taken out the middle stump and the bowler had time to complete the run-out. To balance it out, Zimbabwe had missed the chance to run out Wilson 13 overs earlier and even Niall O’Brien’s fluent 50 was only thanks to a dropped catch on the long-on boundary when he had made just two.

Ireland have lost 10th place to Zimbabwe in the ODI table no matter what happens in the final game but they will be desperate to keep the gap to just two points. Defeat and Ireland will drop below Afghanistan into 12th!

CricketEurope and Ian Callender (Belfast Telegraph)