Ervine leads Zim to victory

AN unbeaten half-century from Craig Ervine and three important wickets from Milton Shumba were vital in Zimbabwe’s seven-run victory over Namibia in the first Twenty20 international match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

The hosts decided to bat on winning the toss and opened their innings with Regis Chakabva and Wessly Madhevere.

The pair got their team off to a fair start, putting on 34 together with Madhevere in particular striking the ball well.

However, in the fifth over, Madhevere tried to drive a ball from Bernard Scholtz back over his head, but skyed a catch and was caught for 23 off 12 balls, with five fours.

Chakabva had scored 15 off 21 balls when he tried a fancy shot to the off from Scholtz and was bowled - 44 for two in the seventh over.

There followed the major partnership of the innings, as Sikandar Raza joined Ervine and they added 71 runs in nine overs, although they never really dominated the bowling to the extent desirable. Raza scored 37 off 30 balls, but just as the last five overs began and a major scoring effort was needed, he tried a big leg hit off Gerhard Erasmus, the eighth bowler used by Namibia, and was lbw at 115 for three.

In the following over came another setback, as Milton Shumba (4) drove a catch off Pikky Ya France straight to extra cover to make the score 120 for four in the 17th over.

Ervine hit out well in the final overs, but there was not really enough time for Ryan Burl to get his eye in and launch into his most devastating strokes before the innings ended.

Ervine finished with 55 not out off 39 balls, with three sixes and three fours, while Burl had 11 off 11 balls.

It was the fine slow bowling of Scholtz in particular (two for only 19 off his four overs), backed by Ya France and Erasmus, that put the brakes on the Zimbabwe innings and restricted them to a score of 153 for four wickets.

Namibia got off to a fine start with their openers Craig Williams and Divan la Cock, who ran to 41 off the first five overs.

The bowlers then managed to tie down Williams, and eventually he holed out to deep midwicket off Brandon Mavuta for 25, scored off 34 balls.

SCORES

ZIMBABWE – 153-4 in 20 overs (Craig Ervine 55*, Sikandar Raza 37, Wessly Madhevere 23; Bernard Scholtz 2/19, Pikky Ya France 1/14, Gerhard Erasmus 1/15)

NAMIBIA – 146-5 in 20 overs (Divan la Cock 66, Craig Williams 25, Zane Green 19; Milton Shumba 3/16, Brandon Mavuta 1/20, Tendai Chatara 1/25) ZIMBABWE WON BY SEVEN RUNS - zimcricket