<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Wayne Parnell's maiden five-wicket Twenty20 international haul led South Africa to a convincing 44-run victory over Ireland at Bristol on Friday as the Proteas completed a 2-0 series win.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The 33-year-old left-arm quick took 5-30 as Ireland, chasing 183 to win, were dismissed for 138 in what was their eighth successive defeat at this level ahead of a T20 World Cup where South Africa will be one of the leading contenders on this form.</div><div><br></div><div>"It was just about keeping things simple, doing the basics," said Parnell at the presentation ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>Ireland have run India and New Zealand close this season and they only lost Wednesday's series opener against the Proteas, who've now won four of their last five T20s following a 2-1 success against England, by 21 runs.</div><div><br></div><div>But Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie accepted his side had been well-beaten on this occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>"We didn't show up with the bat," he said. "It gets very hard when you lose so many wickets."</div><div><br></div><div>Parnell put a dent in Ireland's chase early on, reducing them to 2-2 with two wickets in consecutive balls.</div><div><br></div><div>Balbirnie fell for a duck when he chipped to cover and Lorcan Tucker, fresh from his 78 in the first T20, went first ball when he miscued to mid-on.</div><div><br></div><div>The in-form Harry Tector survived the hat-trick, and with the experienced Paul Stirling started to repair the damage.</div><div><br></div><div>Stirling had hit two fours and two sixes in a score of 28 when he was struck a painful blow in the groin by fast bowler Lungi Ngidi.</div><div><br></div><div>The next ball proved his undoing, with Sterling slicing a well-disguised slower delivery from Ngidi to Aiden Markram on the offside.</div><div><br></div><div>Parnell followed up with two wickets in three balls, Curtis Campher caught behind on the reverse sweep before Tector holed out off a miscued pull for 34.</div><div><br></div><div>Then, in his 45th match at this level, Parnell had a fifth wicket when Andy McBrine was brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.</div><div><br></div><div>That left Ireland 96-9, with tailender Barry McCarthy's entertaining 32 merely delaying defeat.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, South Africa captain David Miller marked his return with an unbeaten 32 and a rapid stand of 71 in 33 balls with Heinrich Klaasen that helped the Proteas post 182-6.</div><div><br></div><div>Miller, who missed Wednesday's match with back spasms, hit three sixes after tight Ireland bowling had initially left South Africa struggling for runs, with opener De Kock again out cheaply.</div><div><br></div><div>Klaasen's 39 took only 16 balls after opener Reeza Hendricks had just fallen short of a fifth successive T20 international fifty when out for 42.</div><div><br></div><div>But Ireland pulled things back in the field following leg-spinner Gareth Delany's 2-24.</div><div><br></div><div>This was South Africa's last match at this level before they finalise a squad for the T20 World Cup, which will go to India for a three-match series in September ahead of the showpiece tournament in Australia.</div><div><br></div><div>Miller, asked about the competition for places in the team, replied: "It's a good problem to have with the World Cup coming."</div><div><br></div><div>Ireland are at home to Afghanistan in a five-match series later this month. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>