While Ireland lost a pulsating decider to Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday the three-match series may take on a greater significance in time - it may be seen as the week two more T20 pieces fell into place for coach Heinrich Malan.

We know Harry Tector has been a competent off-spinner since his school days, so when he became Ireland’s star turn with the ball in the three games the only shock was that he had previously bowled so little - eight overs in total - for the senior side.

The exciting discovery, though, with enormous potential for the future, was Ross Adair, a powerful opening bat from Belfast, who scored 65 and led the successful chase on Saturday.

Not only does Adair have the strength and timing to regularly clear the boundary, as a 28-year-old former rugby union professional with Ulster, he brings a physical presence to the side that has been visibly missing since the retirement of John Mooney.

Adair is not in the squad for the three-match one-day international series starting tomorrow (WEDS) but even on such a brief showing it’s impossible to think he won’t find a regular spot in the T20 side, probably in the middle order.

“I’m fighting for a place and hopefully there are spots up for grabs,” he said after collecting his Player of the Match award on Saturday.

Tector won’t be fighting for his place for a long time after adding a third string to an international bow that already has him challenging Paul Stirling as Ireland’s premier batsman and among the best of the Boys in Green in the field.

On the slow pitches at the Harare Sports Club, he is likely to get a full quota of 10 overs in the ODIs, along with fellow offie Andy McBrine, who wasn’t in the T20 squad.

Left-arm quick Josh Little returns from a stint of T20 franchise cricket, as do Stirling and Lorcan Tucker to bolster the batting line-up.

Meanwhile, Ireland take on New Zealand in their second match of the women’s U19 World Cup in Potchefstroom today (TUES), needing to win to keep alive hopes of reaching the last eight.