Raza takes Zim closer to World Cup berth
HARARE: Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer reveled in the “game of (his) career” after his team’s 107-run victory over Ireland in their World Cup Qualifier here on Thursday.
Scrapping to 211 for 9, Zimbabwe then bowled Ireland out for 104, taking virtually every chance that came their way.
Cremer’s side next takes on two-time World Cup winners West Indies on Monday, knowing that one more win could be enough to clinch one of the last two spots for next year’s tournament in England and Wales.
“It was the performance of my career in the field,” said Cremer. “Sometimes we let it slip out there in the field, but today we just knocked the nail in the coffin.
“We know we can defend low totals. That’s what we said when we came out (for Ireland’s innings). And our bowlers were sensational.”
Defending a total that Cremer admitted was “below par”, Zimbabwe desperately needed early wickets.
Opening the bowling with leftarm spinner Tendai Chisoro, they quickly reduced Ireland to 18 for three inside the powerplay.
Chisoro finished with three for 22, while Cremer claimed figures of three for 18 with his legspin. “It was (an) extremely gettable target,” admitted Ireland captain William Porterfield.
That Zimbabwe got to 211 at all was mostly due to the hard work of middle-order all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who came to the wicket with Zimbabwe floundering at 87 for five and shepherded the second half of their innings with an unbeaten 69.
Raza struck four fours and three sixes, including two in the last over, bowled by Barry McCarthy.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 211-9 in 50 overs (S Raza 69*, T Murtagh 3-36) bt Ireland 104 all out in 34.2 overs (G Cremer 3-18, T Chisoro 3-22) by 107 runs