Andy Balbirnie, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker all made half-centuries for Ireland in Harare yesterday but their efforts were nowhere near enough to prevent Zimbabwe charging to a nine-wicket win and claiming the one-day international series.

After the Boys in Green had toiled to 240-6, Ben Curran, brother of the England pair Tom and Sam, dominated the chase with a muscular 118 not out that saw the home side over the line with more than 10 overs to spare.

“We could have got 20, possibly 30 extra runs, but I was pretty pleased at halfway — I thought we had a chance,” skipper Paul Stirling said.

“We wanted to get through their opening attack and then cash in at the back end but we never really got past [a consistent] seven an over, and as things turned out, 320 wouldn’t have been enough.”

To be fair, Ireland had the worst of the batting conditions but even so their tempo was never fast enough until Tucker took charge in the death overs, hitting a lively 61 from 54 balls, including seven fours, before he was bowled at the start of the 50th over.

Balbirnie top scored with 64 from 99 balls without ever looking in touch, and fell immediately after striking his only six, while Tector also struggled to come to terms with the pace of the pitch and failed to find the gaps when presented with a rare bad ball.

The fourth-ranked ODI batsman in the world finally looked to have found his timing with a gorgeous off drive to bring up his fifty from 83 balls, only to lob the next delivery to mid-wicket.

A total of 240 has been defended before at the Harare Sports Club but with the sun out and the pitch flatter Curran quickly put the game beyond the Ireland bowlers who were not on the money in line or length.

Curran shared an opening stand of 124 with Brian Bennett —  before Graeme Hume took Ireland’s one wicket — and another of 122 with skipper Craig Ervine who secured the victory —and a 2-1 series win for Zimbabwe — with a six.

Ireland have four days to lick their wounds and re-group before a three-match T20 international series starts on Saturday.