Bracewell hat-trick the icing on Kiwis' big T20 win

Dane Cleaver's 78 not out and Michael Bracewell's hat trick powered New Zealand to an 88-run win over Ireland to clinch their Twenty20 series 2-0 at Stormont.

New Zealand posted 4-179 and bowled out Ireland for 91 to secure its fifth straight win over the hosts. The visitors beat Ireland by 31 runs on Monday after a 3-0 series win in the one-day internationals at Malahide.

New Zealand can sweep the three-match T20 series on Friday.

Cleaver's total came off 55 balls and included five fours and four sixes in just his second T20 international appearance. Finn Allen contributed 35 off 20.

Chasing 180, Paul Stirling gave the Irish a fast start, hitting Mitchell Santner for a six and a four in the first over. But against Lockie Ferguson, he was caught to finish with 21 and leave the hosts at 23 for 1.

Ireland managed just four runs for its next two wickets, as Jacob Duffy was dismissed by Gareth Delany for a first-ball duck before Harry Tector (2) was run out.

Ish Sodhi took three wickets for 21 and Ireland was at 7-86 when Bracewell came on for his first over. The off-spinner had Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy caught in the deep with successive deliveries before Craig Young sliced to backward point from the next ball as Ireland was all out for 91.

Young and Josh Little took two wickets apiece for Ireland.

In the first match of the T20 series earlier this week, New Zealand won by 31 runs after posting 8-173 and bowling out Ireland for 142 with 10 balls to spare.

The Irish chase sputtered with no batter getting a decent foothold as wickets fell regularly. Curtis Campher led with 29, one of only two scores above 15.

Lockie Ferguson spearheaded New Zealand's bowling with 4-14 in 20 balls. Jimmy Neesham and captain Mitchell Santner took two wickets each.

Set 174 to win, Ireland were cut down to 4-37 before the powerplay was over.

Mark Adair posed the last threat with 25 off 20 but he was taken in a double-wicket 17th over by Neesham.

The Black Caps were asked to bat first and reduced to 4-54, but Glenn Phillips led the recovery with an unbeaten 69 and key partnerships with Neesham of 46 runs and Michael Bracewell of 45.

Ireland medium-pacer Josh Little took 4-35, dismissing Finn Allen and debutant Cleaver early on and, in the 19th over, Bracewell and Santner.

But Phillips held out, first with Neesham who hit the sightscreen in a 29 off 16 balls, and with Bracewell, who made 21 off 13.

Phillips helped plunder 16 runs in the 18th over, reach his third T20 fifty in the 19th, and take 19, including six extras, off the last over. Phillips hit seven fours and a six.