NO RAZA, NO JOY FOR CHEVRONS
IRELAND came from behind to win the three-match T20 international series against a somewhat depleted Zimbabwe 2-1 with a six-wicket victory in the final game at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
An aggressive century partnership in 64 balls for the fifth-wicket between Harry Tector (54 off 45 balls) and George Dockrell (49 off 32 balls) did the damage for the Irish as they romped to victory with eight balls remaining.
It was the most comfortable win of the series and Ireland’s first ever T20I series win away to a full member of the ICC.
Tector hit three fours and two sixes while Dockrell smashed three sixes and three fours in a comfortable stand.
Captain and all-rounder Sikandar Raza had led the Chevrons to a onewicket victory in the opening match under floodlights last Thursday.
Raza was, however, banned for two games following a breach of the ICC Code of Conduct in the historic match.
He was fined 50 percent of his match fee and received two demerit points for aggressively charging towards the Ireland duo of Curtis Campher and Josh Little while pointing his bat and breaking away from the umpire who had tried to calm the situation.
In his absence, Ireland won the day matches on Saturday and yesterday to clinch the series.
In yesterday’s match, Zimbabwe were without their three most senior players — Raza together with former stand-in captain Sean Williams and former skipper Craig Ervine through injury.
It was the first time for the Chevrons to play an international match without Raza, Ervine and Williams in five years.
Ryan Burl stood in as captain, meaning Zimbabwe had used three different captains in a three-match series inside four days.
Ireland won the toss again and decided to field with Zimbabwe setting 160 plus as a target for a defendable total on a Harare Sports Club wicket that seemed good for batting.
Zimbabwe did not get off to a good start as they tried another opening partnership. Wessly Madhevere opened with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, who was moved to the opening role after a decent performance at number three the previous day.
Kamunhukamwe was out first ball of the second over, trapped leg before wicket for one off two balls after missing while attempting to flick Josh Little leg side.
Brian Bennet came in at number three and they took Zimbabwe to 43/1 before two quick wickets in the seventh over rocked the Chevrons innings.
Madhevere missed out on an attempted pull shot as the ball kept low and he was trapped lbw for 14 off 19 balls and it became 44/3 in last ball of the over when Bennett was out, chopping on Gareth Delany for 27 off 19 balls.
Tony Munyonga added six from eight balls to leave Zimbabwe on 61/4. Burl and Clive Madande steadied the innings and moved the score to 116/4 before another flurry of wickets saw the Chevrons scramble to 140/6 in their 20 overs.
Burl top scored with 36 from 28 balls while Madande made a run-a-ball 27 to finish as Zimbabwe’s highest scorers in the series. Defending 140 was always going to be difficult but Zimbabwe seemed to be in the game when they reduced Ireland to 37/4 in the seventh over.
However, Tector and Dockrell had other ideas and condemned Zimbabwe to yet another miserable series.
Speaking after the match, Burl agreed that 140 was never going to be enough.
“Certainly not enough on a wicket like this and with a shorter boundary on one side,” he said.
He also spoke about missing the big names and being captain.
“To be honest I really enjoyed the captaincy but it’s not ideal when you have to shuffle like that, especially with three experienced players out. There’s been some good performances here and there in patches and going into the longer format we just need to extend those and hopefully we can win it in the longer format.”
The two sides will now clash in three ODIs on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at Harare Sports Club.