Ireland failed to follow-up their brave fight against South Africa in the first game although Barry McCarthy’s highest score for Ireland, from 19 balls, in a last wicket stand of 42 reduced the margin of defeat in Bristol on Friday night to 44 runs.

Paul Stirling hit Wayne Parnell for 17 in the fourth over but the left arm pace man had the last laugh as he claimed his first five-wicket haul in T20 internationals, his fifth thanks to a stunning one-handed catch by wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock to dismiss Andy McBrine, as Ireland were bowled out for 138.

Stirling’s innings was cut short by a painful blow to the midriff because next ball, obviously still rattled, he skied the impressive Lungi Ngidi to backward point.

Harry Tector was Ireland’s top scorer but he was the fourth of Parnell’s victims, the ball after Curtis Campher’s breezy 19 from 17 balls was ended by a ramp shot!

Balbirnie used only his five front-line bowlers as South Africa racked up 182 for six, unsurprisingly 29 runs less than in the first match on the same pitch but it could have been so many less but for three frustratingly errant overs.

Andy McBrine had conceded just 16 off his first three overs but his last went for 26. Spin twin Gareth Delany was denied his best T20I figures because his last went for 15 but that was parsimonius compared with Mark Adair’s last two which went for 36 and McCarthy’s third which disappeared for 28, albeit including an above-waist high full toss which went for six; the free hit went the same distance.

Considering 74 came off just three overs, it could be said Ireland did well to restrict the Proteas to 108 off the other 17 and it certainly wasn’t a total to frighten Ireland.

So, even after an eight-ball nightmare by skipper Balbirnie, a golden duck for first-game hero Lorcan Tucker – caught at mid-on – and a second ball dismissal for the horribly out of form Gareth Delany (18 runs in his last eight T20I innings), Ireland continued to attack.

But once again the South Africa bowlers were too good – and they knew it.

South Africa 182-6 (R Hendricks 42, H Klaasen 39, D Miller 32, A Markram 27; G Delany 2-24, J Little 1-20, A McBrine 1-42, M Adair 1-45, B McCarthy 1-48) Ireland (18.5 overs, H Tector 34, B McCarthy 32, P Stirling 28, C Campher 19; W Parnell 5-30, D Pretorius 3-33). South Africa won by 44 runs.