da dobrowin： Zimbabwe pulled off a superb two-wicket win in the first of five one-day internationals against Bangladesh at Harare
The Bulletin by Jamie Alter29-Jul-2006
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Stuart Matsikenyeri made a fine 89 to lead Zimbabwe to victory in a close match at Harare© AFP
Stuart Matsikenyeri marked his return to international cricket since March2005 with the innings of his career and Elton Chigumbura defied the oddsto help Zimbabwe overhaul Bangladesh’s 247 and clinch a thriller at Hararein stunning style. Matsikenyeri’s 89 in a record sixth-wicket stand of 114with Chigumbura, whose reenactment of was a classact, systematically broke down the Bangladeshis and resurrected the hostsfrom 50 for 4 to a two-wicket victory.When Chigumbura pinched a single to keep strike for the final over, andthen effortlessly heaved Shahadat Hossain over midwicket for four to sendthe devoted fans at the Harare Sports Club into rapturous applause,Zimbabwe had taken the first step towards redeeming themselves from aturbulent past season.The sight of Chigumbura, draped in the national flag and engulfed by a seaof school children, was heartening. Given that this was an inexperiencedZimbabwean side, with an average age of a classroom lot out of the , the win would have been a shot of adrenalin, valium,and Prozac all in one.Instead of inviting self destruct, like Zimbabwe have so often,Matsikenyeri and Chighumbura grabbed the innings by the reins in what willbe remembered as a great win. To highlight the magnitude of the duo’scontributions, we must rewind to the fact that the innings had started offrather pedestrian-like. Having been rocked by four strikes from MashrafeMortaza and Hossain, Bangladesh’s new ball pairing, Zimbabwelooked down and out. A 51-run stand for the fifth wicket between BrendanTaylor and Matsikenyeri, in good time, was undone by Taylor’s misjudgment.The introduction of Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique, both left-armspinners, encouraged the batsmen to use their feet and try to score downthe ground. When Rafique gave it some air, the aggressive Taylorheaved him down to cow corner but was bowled in a repeat attempt. Deeptrouble, you would think…Not a chance. At least not yet. With the pressure clearly rising,Matsikenyeri and Chigumbura seemed to have realised and reassessed thesituation. Singles come at a good clip and bothbatsmen refrained from indiscretion. Rafique and Razzak were watchedcarefully, while Alok Kapali’s legspin was taken for runs. Once theyfigured out Rafique, Matsikenyeri and Chigumbura steadily brought the runrate down. Their running between the wickets, it must be said, waselectric and belied the frailty of this inexperienced side. Matsikenyerireached his fifty with a fine lofted shot down the ground and followedthat up with a crashing extra cover drive for four more. To rub it in,Chigumbura ran Rafique cheekily down to third man and then got anotherboundary when he slashed Kapali to the same region.More than the amount of runs the two put on, it was the manner in whichthey did so. The Matsikenyeri-Chigumbura association, worth its weight ingrain, had Bangladesh sweating and later fatigued. Matsikenyeri, whoseprevious best was 73, took the leading role, and pushed by Chigumbura,unleashed some fine strokes all round the pitch. Shoulders drooped, Razzakbegan to vent his frustration, and Matsikenyeri was given the easiest oflet-offs on 61 when his lofted shot to wide long-off was dropped by JavedOmar. He reacted with a neat paddle sweep for four off Razzak and to showthat he was definitely to be taken seriousy, heaved the next ball over themidwicket rope.However, a cruel twist was thrown in with victory,and Matsikenyeri’s hundred, in sight. A sharp blow to the toe from aMortaza yorker had Matsikenyeri on his back and receiving treatment, andcramped by the pain, he could only loft Shahadat to Mortaza at long-off inthe next over. But Chigumbara, who stroked Mortaza for a stunning loftedsix and straight four in the 47th over, kept his cool to see Zimbabwethrough with five deliveries to spare. Prosper Utseya, in his first matchas captain, proved his fallibility by missing a heave at Mortaza andlosing his stumps in the penultimate over, and Ryan Higgings fell lbw thenext ball to leave all at the ground reaching for their respirators. ButChigumbura was not about to let matters slip away.Bangladesh’s own innings had been a fidgety one. Tawanda Mupariwa’s twinstrikes first up had Bangladesh in all kinds of bother, but ShahriarNafees’s patient 78 and a quickfire 39 from Rafique at the death gave thema healthy total to defend. Nafees was a steady force in two fifty-plusstands with Mohammad Ashraful (25) and Habibul Bashar (40), and hiseffort, though sluggish, ensured Bangladesh did not succumb to the earlypressure from Mupariwa. Following a middle order hash, Bangladesh wereindebted to Rafique’s effective use of the long handle. He picked up sixesover deep fine leg and long-off and pierced the gaps repeatedly tofrustrate the fielders and take the gloss off a clinical bowling effort.Zimbabwe’s bowling was tidy, if unspectacular, and suggested early on that thisside will push Bangladesh in the series. On a pitch which had a hint ofmoisture, Zimbabwe’s new-ball pairing of Ed Rainsford and Mupariwa turnedin a fine initial display. There was enough pace to check the flashydrives that we have become accustomed to from Bangladesh, and the rightamount of late movement to keep the slip fielders licking their lips. Thetennis-ball bounce also proved suitable to the swing that Mupariwaachieved, while the lift that Rainsford got had the batsmen in two minds.Mupariwa’s celebratory fist pumping, dreadlocks and all, after nabbingJaved and Aftab Ahmed up the order, summed up the feisty attitude of theZimbabweans.His two further strikes at crucial times in the inningsensured Bangladesh did not run away to a high total. Rainsford, whoimpressed in the West Indies earlier this year, returned to bowl Nafeesneck and crop at the death and was far more impressive at the end. Utseyasent down his ten overs on the trot for an economical 35 runs, while thesupport staff – Rinke, whose slow medium pace was quite harmless, RyanHiggins, Masakadza and Matsikenyeri – did well to not haemorrhage runs.Ultimately, it made all the difference.How they were outBangladeshJaved Omar c Taylor b Mupariwa 8 (15 for 1)
Aftab Ahmed c Taylor b Mupariwa 0 (16 for 2)
Mohammad Ashraful c Higgins b Masakadza 25 (75 for 3)
Habibul Bashar c Chibhabha b Mupariwa 40 (146 for 4)
Alok Kapali st Taylor b Masakadza 23 (185 for 5)
Shahriar Nafees b Rainsford 78 (188 for 6)
Mohammad Rafique b Mupariwa (238 for 7)
Zimbabwe
Chamu Chibhabha c Javed b Mashrafe 1 (7 for 1)
Piet Rinke c Mashud b Mortaza 10 (38 for 2)
Hamilton Masakadza c Ashraful b Shahadat 7 (50 for 3)
Vusi Sibanda b Shahadat 22 (50 for 4)
Brendan Taylor b Rafique 25 (101 for 5)
Stuart Matsikenyeri c Mortaza b Shahadat 88 (214 for 5)
Prosper Utseya b Mortaza 8 (242 for 7)
Ryan Higgins lbw b Mortaza 0 (242 for 8)