Mixed fortunes for Zimbabwe Cricket

Zimbabwe lost their match against Australia, when they were swept past
by the Ausies at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. Australia were
comfortable victors by a seven-wicket margin.

Their victory was set up by new-ball quick Xavier Bartlett, who, after
his captain won the toss, knocked over the top three Zimbabwe batsmen
inside 11 overs.

Zimbabwe never recovered from 34 for 3, regularly losing wickets to be
dismissed for 134 in 33.2 overs.

Robert Chimhinya top-scored for Zimbabwe with 27, batting at No. 8.

The pick of the bowlers for Australia was Bartlett, who finished with
3 for 20, while Will Sutherland and Lloyd Pope claimed two each.

Australia’s openers Max Bryant and Jack Edwards blasted their way to
46 in just 4.2 overs, before their stand was broken. Edwards was the
first dismissed for 40 off 20, while Bryant made 44 off 27. Australia
got to the required total of 135 in 18.2 overs.

The loss means that Zimbabwe are unlikely to progress to the
quarter-final. Their last group B game is against group leaders,
India.

It was good news, though, from Bangladesh as the senior cricket team, the Chevrons, beat Sri Lanka by 12 runs to record their first victory against a Full Member at a neutral venue in 15 years. Star performances from Masakadza and Raza were key to the Chevrons’ victory.

Masakadza contributed 73, whist Raza made an unbeaten 81 and took the
important wicket of Kusal Perera.

Openers Masakadza and Solomon Mire had earlier given Zimbabwe a strong
start with a 75-run stand. Masakadza blasted Suranga Lakmal for two
fours in the first over and Solomon Mire bludgeoned five fours in his
37-ball 34.

After Mire fell in the 13th over, Ervine followed cheaply. Masakadza
and Taylor added 57 runs for the third wicket.

The well-set Masakadza fell in Gunaratne’s first over after making 73
off 83 balls with 10 boundaries. Taylor fell for a 51-ball 38, before
Raza and Malcolm Waller added 57 for the fifth wicket. Waller slammed
two fours and a six in his 29 off 35 balls.

Raza lifted Zimbabwe’s momentum towards the end, striking Lakmal for
five fours in two overs. He added 61 runs for the sixth wicket with
Peter Moor off just 6.3 overs.

Moor struck two sixes in his 19 before becoming Gunaratne’s third
victim. Thisara also took two wickets, while the other front-line
bowlers couldn’t make much of an impact.

Sri Lanka had a good start in their effort acquire the alloted 291
runs. Kusal Perera gave Sri Lanka the early impetus in the chase.

He began with cuts and slashes reminiscent of his boyhood hero Sanath
Jayasuriya.

At the other end, Upul Tharanga survived a scare when the ball hit his
leg stump but the bails didn’t come off. He then chipped a catch to
mid-on in the sixth over.

But Kusal didn’t relent with his attacking intent, finishing the
Powerplay with a brutal cut over point that went for six.Soon after
Kusal reached his fifty, Solomon Mire dropped him at deep point on 57.

Angelo Mathews, who needed some attention for cramps, sprung to life
in the 18th over when he smashed Blessing Muzarabani for a six over
midwicket, and four through the slips. Kusal kept finding the
boundaries too while Zimbabwe found more ways to drop him: Graeme
Cremer dropped him off his own bowling in the 24th over with his score
on 77.

But finally, Muzarabani used all of his height at short fine leg to
pluck out a catch off Kusal on 80. He had struck eight fours and two
sixes in his 83-ball innings.

Kusal’s exit forced Sri Lanka to slow down. Mathews and Chandimal
struck just one boundary in six overs, before Mathews fell in the 31st
over. Mathews swatted at a Muzarabani bouncer, but it was brilliantly
intercepted by Raza at short midwicket.

Chandimal tried to stay in touch with the required run-rate but Jarvis
got one to keep low, which hit his off stump. Asela Gunaratne followed
him soon after, deceived by Cremer and stumped by Brendan Taylor.

Zimbabwe 290 for 6 (Raza 81*, Masakadza 73, Gunaratne 3-37) beat Sri
Lanka 278 (Kusal 80, Thisara 64, Chatara 4-33) by 12 runs
SIKANDAR Raza, Hamilton Masakadza and Tendai Chatara combined to lead
Zimbabwe to a 12-run win over Sri Lanka.

BY Chenjerai Gurupira