Central Stags keeper-batsman DANE CLEAVER has his first T20 International half century, in just his second match for the BLACKCAPS.

Cleaver was named Man of the Match in Belfast after his 55-ball, unbeaten 78* propelled New Zealand to an unbeatable 2-0 Series lead - and he added a catch and stumping with the gloves to go with his top-scoring knock.

It was a remarkable match for the team with Wellington's Michael Bracewell finishing off the 88-run victory with a rare T20i hat-trick as Ireland was bowled out well short for 91 in the chase.

Ireland v NZ images courtesy of Cricket Ireland

After a number of seasons pushing hard for selection, both Bracewell and Cleaver had been scheduled to make their BLACKCAPS T20i debuts in Napier earlier this year, but ran into bad luck with rain on the night.

Now the pair is making up for lost time, Cleaver making the most of his opportunities batting at three.

He and Bracewell were also the men who produced the mot runs in last summer's Dream11 Super Smash, both players smashing their maiden T20 centuries during their respective campaigns - Cleaver's knock a match-winning performance in Dunedin, and Bracewell producing the highest T20 innings in New Zealand history in an unforgettable show at Pukekura Park.

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Cleaver will be disappointed not have squeezed a few more runs out of the Civil Service Ground deck overnight, but will have been mindful that the Belfast conditions in the first match at the same venue had not been quite what the batters were expecting.

There were more runs in the deck this time around, with Cleaver hitting five boundaries and four sixes in 76 minutes at the crease, sharing a partnership of 53 with Glenn Phillips and 48 with Daryl Mitchell.

"It's a good wicket, but if you put the ball in the right areas, it can be a challenge," Cleaver said last night.

"I reviewed my option-taking after the first game and gave myself a chance on the same wicket.

"It offered a little bit of variation so it probably wasn't my most fluent innings, but it went OK and I was happy to contribute to the team."

"It was nice to get a few out of the middle and get us to a competitive total.

"There is nothing I have wanted to do more in my entire life than play for my country."

Cleaver will be looking forward to another crack in the final match in Ireland, set to start at 3am NZT on Saturday (Friday in Ireland).

The team then heads to Scotland to play a further two T20 Internationals and a sole ODI that could see Cleaver add an ODI debut to his resumé.

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Article added: Thursday 21 July 2022