Cricket: Zimbabwe through in record chase
Brendan Taylor (75), Taibu (53) and Elton Chigumbara (47) all made valuable contributions to Zimbabwe’s run chase.
BULAWAYO:
Malcolm Waller hit a brilliant unbeaten 99 of just 74 balls to steer Zimbabwe to their highest winning total, as the hosts beat New Zealand by just one wicket in a nail-biting third One-Day International in Bulawayo.
Waller withstood the pressure of chasing a daunting 329 and made sure Zimbabwe scraped through with one ball to spare, despite wickets falling all around him.
The middle-order batsman was dropped three times by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor who later admitted his poor fielding was to be blamed for the loss.
Captain Brendan Taylor (75), Tatenda Taibu (53) and Elton Chigumbara (47) all made valuable contributions to Zimbabwe’s run chase, with the latter being involved in a crucial 112-run partnership with Waller for the sixth wicket.
However, his departure triggered a collapse as the hosts lost four wickets for 33 runs before Waller sealed the win in the final over of the match.
Earlier, Ross (119) and Kane Williamson (100*) allowed New Zealand to pile up 328 for five.
The two shared a fifth-wicket stand of 195 that turned what seemed likely to be a respectable total into an imposing one, adding 164 runs in the final 15 overs, only to be overhauled by Zimbabwe’s determination.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2011.
Malcolm Waller hit a brilliant unbeaten 99 of just 74 balls to steer Zimbabwe to their highest winning total, as the hosts beat New Zealand by just one wicket in a nail-biting third One-Day International in Bulawayo.
Waller withstood the pressure of chasing a daunting 329 and made sure Zimbabwe scraped through with one ball to spare, despite wickets falling all around him.
The middle-order batsman was dropped three times by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor who later admitted his poor fielding was to be blamed for the loss.
Captain Brendan Taylor (75), Tatenda Taibu (53) and Elton Chigumbara (47) all made valuable contributions to Zimbabwe’s run chase, with the latter being involved in a crucial 112-run partnership with Waller for the sixth wicket.
However, his departure triggered a collapse as the hosts lost four wickets for 33 runs before Waller sealed the win in the final over of the match.
Earlier, Ross (119) and Kane Williamson (100*) allowed New Zealand to pile up 328 for five.
The two shared a fifth-wicket stand of 195 that turned what seemed likely to be a respectable total into an imposing one, adding 164 runs in the final 15 overs, only to be overhauled by Zimbabwe’s determination.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2011.