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
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Stuart Matsikenyeri marked his return to international cricket since March
2005 with the innings of his career and Elton Chigumbura defied the odds
to help Zimbabwe overhaul Bangladesh’s 247 and clinch a thriller at Harare
in stunning style. Matsikenyeri’s 89 in a record sixth-wicket stand of 114
with Chigumbura, whose reenactment of was a class
act, systematically broke down the Bangladeshis and resurrected the hosts
from 50 for 4 to a two-wicket victory.When Chigumbura pinched a single to keep strike for the final over, and
then effortlessly heaved Shahadat Hossain over midwicket for four to send
the devoted fans at the Harare Sports Club into rapturous applause,
Zimbabwe had taken the first step towards redeeming themselves from a
turbulent past season.The sight of Chigumbura, draped in the national flag and engulfed by a sea
of school children, was heartening. Given that this was an inexperienced
Zimbabwean 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 will
be remembered as a great win. To highlight the magnitude of the duo’s
contributions, we must rewind to the fact that the innings had started off
rather pedestrian-like. Having been rocked by four strikes from Mashrafe
Mortaza and Hossain, Bangladesh’s new ball pairing, Zimbabwe
looked down and out. A 51-run stand for the fifth wicket between Brendan
Taylor and Matsikenyeri, in good time, was undone by Taylor’s misjudgment.
The introduction of Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique, both left-arm
spinners, encouraged the batsmen to use their feet and try to score down
the ground. When Rafique gave it some air, the aggressive Taylor
heaved him down to cow corner but was bowled in a repeat attempt. Deep
trouble, you would think…Not a chance. At least not yet. With the pressure clearly rising,
Matsikenyeri and Chigumbura seemed to have realised and reassessed the
situation. Singles come at a good clip and both
batsmen refrained from indiscretion. Rafique and Razzak were watched
carefully, while Alok Kapali’s legspin was taken for runs. Once they
figured out Rafique, Matsikenyeri and Chigumbura steadily brought the run
rate down. Their running between the wickets, it must be said, was
electric and belied the frailty of this inexperienced side. Matsikenyeri
reached his fifty with a fine lofted shot down the ground and followed
that 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 another
boundary when he slashed Kapali to the same region.More than the amount of runs the two put on, it was the manner in which
they did so. The Matsikenyeri-Chigumbura association, worth its weight in
grain, had Bangladesh sweating and later fatigued. Matsikenyeri, whose
previous best was 73, took the leading role, and pushed by Chigumbura,
unleashed some fine strokes all round the pitch. Shoulders drooped, Razzak
began to vent his frustration, and Matsikenyeri was given the easiest of
let-offs on 61 when his lofted shot to wide long-off was dropped by Javed
Omar. He reacted with a neat paddle sweep for four off Razzak and to show
that he was definitely to be taken seriousy, heaved the next ball over the
midwicket rope.However, a cruel twist was thrown in with victory,
and Matsikenyeri’s hundred, in sight. A sharp blow to the toe from a
Mortaza yorker had Matsikenyeri on his back and receiving treatment, and
cramped by the pain, he could only loft Shahadat to Mortaza at long-off in
the next over. But Chigumbara, who stroked Mortaza for a stunning lofted
six and straight four in the 47th over, kept his cool to see Zimbabwe
through with five deliveries to spare. Prosper Utseya, in his first match
as captain, proved his fallibility by missing a heave at Mortaza and
losing his stumps in the penultimate over, and Ryan Higgings fell lbw the
next ball to leave all at the ground reaching for their respirators. But
Chigumbura was not about to let matters slip away.Bangladesh’s own innings had been a fidgety one. Tawanda Mupariwa’s twin
strikes first up had Bangladesh in all kinds of bother, but Shahriar
Nafees’s patient 78 and a quickfire 39 from Rafique at the death gave them
a healthy total to defend. Nafees was a steady force in two fifty-plus
stands with Mohammad Ashraful (25) and Habibul Bashar (40), and his
effort, though sluggish, ensured Bangladesh did not succumb to the early
pressure from Mupariwa. Following a middle order hash, Bangladesh were
indebted to Rafique’s effective use of the long handle. He picked up sixes
over deep fine leg and long-off and pierced the gaps repeatedly to
frustrate the fielders and take the gloss off a clinical bowling effort.Zimbabwe’s bowling was tidy, if unspectacular, and suggested early on that this
side will push Bangladesh in the series. On a pitch which had a hint of
moisture, Zimbabwe’s new-ball pairing of Ed Rainsford and Mupariwa turned
in a fine initial display. There was enough pace to check the flashy
drives that we have become accustomed to from Bangladesh, and the right
amount of late movement to keep the slip fielders licking their lips. The
tennis-ball bounce also proved suitable to the swing that Mupariwa
achieved, while the lift that Rainsford got had the batsmen in two minds.
Mupariwa’s celebratory fist pumping, dreadlocks and all, after nabbing
Javed and Aftab Ahmed up the order, summed up the feisty attitude of the
Zimbabweans.His two further strikes at crucial times in the innings
ensured Bangladesh did not run away to a high total. Rainsford, who
impressed in the West Indies earlier this year, returned to bowl Nafees
neck and crop at the death and was far more impressive at the end. Utseya
sent down his ten overs on the trot for an economical 35 runs, while the
support staff – Rinke, whose slow medium pace was quite harmless, Ryan
Higgins, 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)
