Zimbabwe and Ireland battle to a thrilling tie
WORLD CUP: Zimbabwe and Ireland played to a thrilling tie in a
tense finish to their World Cup Group D match at Sabina Park here on
Thursday.
Opener Jeremy Bray carried his bat for an undefeated 115 off 137
balls, his second one-day international hundred, to give Ireland a sniff
of a chance with a respectable total of 221 for nine off their
allocation of 50 overs.
The Zimbabweans appeared to be on course for victory on 203 for five,
but they lost their last five wickets for 18 runs in the space of 38
balls to give Ireland a memorable finish to their first match in the
World Cup.
There have only been two other tied matches in World Cup history -
South Africa, chasing 213, tied with Australia in 1999 at Birmingham,
and Sri Lanka, chasing a revised target of 230 off 45 overs, tied with
the Proteas in 2003 at Durban.
It all came down to Zimbabwe needing seven runs from the final over
bowled by spinner Andrew White.
Stuart Matsikenyeri, whose unbeaten 73 off 76 balls was the top score
for Zimbabwe, drove the first ball to long-off for two, then cut the
second to deep point for another two, before he pulled a full toss just
short of mid-wicket fielder Boyd Rankin to scramble a single.
Last man Edward Rainsford drove the fourth ball to long-off for the
single to give the strike back to Matsikenyeri, whose top-edged cut
lobbed a chance to short third man.
Irish skipper Trent Johnson, the fielder, leapt, but he could only
get his fingertips to the ball and the batsmen crossed for two.
With one run required for victory, White bowled a flat, fast,
full-length delivery and Matsikenyeri drove and missed, but keeper Niall
O’Brien had the presence of mind to collect the ball and throw to the
bowler’s end, when Rainsford had backed up too far, and White ran him
out in a chaotic conclusion.
It all unravelled for Zimbabwe, when Brendon Taylor was run out for
24 in the 44th over, backing up too far and failed to beat a deflection
from the hands of McCallan onto the stumps at the bowlers’ end.
Zimbabwe were still favourites to reach the target, needing 19 runs
from 38 balls, but Gary Brent was adjudged lbw for three in the 48th
over, and this is where it all went pear-shaped.
Captain Prosper Utseya was caught at cover for one driving straight
into the lap of fielder Eoin Morgan, and Christopher Mpofu was run out
looking for a single in the penultimate over - a double-wicket maiden
bowled by Kevin O’Brien.
Spin bowler Kyle McCallan was the most successful Irish bowler with
two wickets for 40 runs from seven overs, after opening batsman Vusimuzi
Sibanda had paced Zimbabwe with 67 off 84 balls.
Zimbabwe started confidently, but Terrence Duffin was a victim of his
own indiscretion.
He was dropped twice in the same over that Boyd Rankin had him caught
behind for 12 driving loosely at a ball that nipped across him in the
sixth over.
Justice Chibhabha arrived and with Sibanda playing the aggressive
role, they put Zimbabwe on course for victory with a stand of 66 for the
second wicket.
They were just beginning to get into the swing of things, when
Chibhabha was caught at mid-off off Irish captain Trent Johnson for 12
in the 21st over.
His dismissal precipitated a purple patch for the Irish. They
collected the wickets of Sean Williams, Sibanda, and Chigumbura in the
space of 29 balls to leave Zimbabwe wobbling 133 for five after 30 overs.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thursday, AFP |