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LEADING THE WAY . . . Craig Ervine hit five fours and two sixes for Zimbabwe to complete their series win over the Netherlands yesterday. — Cricinfo

SOLOMON Mire and Craig Ervine struck half-centuries as Zimbabwe clinched the three-match series against the Netherlands by chasing down a revised target of 229 with six balls to spare and seven wickets in hand yesterday.

Victory was sealed when Sean Williams, who struck an unbeaten 19-ball 29, hit Paul van Meekeren for successive boundaries in the 36th over. The Netherlands, who were bowled out for 142 in the series opener, gave a better account of themselves after electing to bat by posting 291.

Wesley Barresi (67) and Stephan Myburgh (77) put together a 143-run opening stand in 23 overs to lay a strong platform before Zimbabwe’s spinners slowed things down and picked up all the six wickets to fall – Sikandar Raza was the most-successful with figure of 3 for 40 with his offspin. In reply, Zimbabwe were cautious after the loss of Hamilton Masakadza in the sixth over, but Mire and Ervine helped drive the chase.

At one stage, Zimbabwe were handily placed at 101 for 1 when play was stopped because of rain in the 20th over. They added 59 in the eight overs eight overs that followed the interval to lead the cruise before Williams saw them home.

The third and final one-dayer will be played at The Hague tomorrow. Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Ireland have been approved as Full Members by the ICC, meaning they have become cricket’s 11th and 12th Test-playing nations.

This was signed off on by the ICC Board in London yesterday, during the ICC’s AGM. Afghanistan and Ireland’s boards had applied to the ICC to have their status upgraded from Associates, and this was put to vote at the meeting yesterday and unanimously supported.

Ireland first gained ODI status in 2005 after finishing runners-up in the ICC Trophy tournament, which they hosted, to gain their first World Cup berth.

Two years later they scored a shock upset of Pakistan on St Patrick’s Day in Jamaica and they’ve never looked back, qualifying for two subsequent World Cups in which they defeated England and West Indies to further press their case that they could maintain competitiveness with other Test nations.

“Test cricket is the pinnacle, it’s the best. Not being able to play Tests was the reason cited by some players, who weren’t able to achieve that career fulfilment with Ireland, as the reason they went to England,” Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said. — Cricinfo.