ZIMBABWE got their second set of 10 points of Cricket World Cup Super League after beating Ireland by 38 runs in the first One Day International (ODI) in Dublin on Wednesday.
Captain Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza built the visitors’ victory around half-centuries and an explosive opening stand-by opener Brendan Taylor. At the same time, lanky fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of Zimbabwe bowlers with four wickets for 29 runs in 9.4 overs.
The Chevrons scored 266-7 in their allotted overs, and in reply, Ireland were circumspect. The aggressive Paul Stirling curbed his natural attacking instinct whilst the veteran William Porterfield anchored the home side’s innings.
Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava were disciplined and bowled better than the Irish seamers.
Both bowlers bowled maidens in the power play, but Stirling and Porterfield were content in waiting for the bad balls. The pair put on 64 runs for the first wicket in 92 balls before left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza got the dangerous Stirling out leg before wicket for 32 runs from 47 balls.
Captain Andy Balbirnie was bowled by Wessley Madhevere off the break for 12 from 20 balls, and Zimbabwe knew that if they could get the wicket of Porterfield, then they would expose the Irish soft under-belly.
Harry Tector joined Porterfield with the score on 92. With some counter-attacking cricket, the two batsmen began to help Ireland edge ahead of Zimbabwe and the senior statesman, Porterfield, getting to a well-played 50.
Their third-wicket stand grew to 71 before Luke Jongwe produced the breakthrough for Zimbabwe in the 35th over when Porterfield tried to up the scoring rate but could only find Dion Myers in deep, who took a superb catch. Porterfield fell for 75 from 110 balls, having scored nine boundaries.
Ireland 163-3 after 35 overs were still ahead of Zimbabwe at the same stage.
After the fall of Porterfield, the flood gates were open as Zimbabwe started striking at regular intervals taking the game away from Ireland.
George Dockrell was caught behind by Regis Chakabva off Muzarabani. He was initially not given out, but Zimbabwe decided to use DRS and the on-field umpire had to reverse his decision.
Simi Singh did not last long as he became Muzarabani’s second wicket, caught by Madhevere for three runs.
The writing was on the wall for Irish when Tector, who had just got to 50, was dismissed when he skied a Sean Williams delivery to Muzarabani at short third man. Ireland were now 202 for six after 43 overs, requiring 65 runs from 42 balls with four wickets in hand. It was a herculean task.
Muzarabani cleaned up the Irish tail, bowling out the home side in the 49th over to take a one-nil lead in the three-match series.
Earlier after Balbirnie had won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in, former Chevrons captain Brendan Taylor in his first match of the tour opened the batting with Chakabva. Still, the latter did not last long as he was snapped up at second slip by Balbirnie for two runs off Craig Young’s bowling.
Taylor and Ervine underlined their importance to the team and showed their experience as they attacked Ireland during the power play, the former being the chief aggressor.
They took a liking towards seamer Young whom they scored freely against. Zimbabwe’s experienced duo put on 71 for the second wicket, and the partnership was broken with Taylor, one shy of a well-played 50, tried to take on Simi Singh but gave a simple catching practice to Dockrell.
Taylor’s stint at the crease produced 49 runs, seven fours and one towering six.
Myers, who batted at four, struggled to score runs and tried a slog sweep off Andy McBrine but only managed a faint edge to wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker to be put out of his misery of seven from 22 balls.
It was once again left to the experienced pair of Ervine and Williams to help their team to a competitive total. They put a quick 49 for the 5th wicket before Josh Little bowled Williams for 33 from 57 balls.
Zimbabwe lost their way after that as the Irish bowlers kept the run rate in check. The Chevrons hopes of upping the run rate were further dented when Ervine holed out to Balbirnie off Dockrell for 64 from 96 balls.
At that point, Zimbabwe were 182-5 in 41,2 overs. None had envisaged the fireworks that were to follow, with Raza being the chief protagonist.
Zimbabwe scored 84 runs in 52 balls to set up what proved to be a winning score. Raza scoring 59 runs from 44 balls, five fours and two maximums to go with it.
