Rusty Chevrons beat Pakistan A

TENDAI Chatara took a fiver as rusty Zimbabwe Select regrouped and beat the visiting Pakistan A side by 24 runs in the first one-day match at the Harare Sports Club yesterday.

The locals are using the six-match series as part of their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 to be held on home soil next month.

The Zimbabweans, who were last involved in international cricket two months ago when they hosted Netherlands, were yesterday put in to bat first and got bowled out for 234 runs.

But the bowlers fought back and restricted their opponents to 210, all out, in 47 overs. Chatara was named man of the match for his 5-37. Zimbabwe Select captain Wellington Masakadza also did well with figures of 3-32.

However, Masakadza bemoaned their below par batting performance after falling 40 runs short of their projected total.

“Obviously, we said it in the morning that we did not have to lose wickets in the first 10 overs. That would have set us up for at least 270-300 runs.

“I think we are capable enough to bat up to 50 overs and as soon as we do that, we will get to 270-300 easily,” said Masakadza.

He was excited by the bowling of Chatara, who appears to have recovered fully from his previous injury worries.

“Definitely he always comes through as one of our best bowlers so I am happy that he took five wickets today,” said Masakadza.

Ryan Burl was on song with his solid fighting knock with a top score of 69 runs for Zimbabwe Select. The hosts were suffering at 64-5 as Shaheens’ bowlers provided a strong start to their team. Aamer Jamal led the bowling attack from the front as he picked three wickets to dent the hosts.

Jamal bagged Craig Ervine (10), Wessly Madhevere (14), and Sean Williams (20) in quick successions.

Shahnawaz Dahani and Mir Hamza bagged openers quickly to set the tone for Shaheens.

However, Burl and Clive Madande partnered strongly for the sixth wicket, putting up 90 runs together. Burl scored 69 off 68 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes. Madande contributed 34 off 55 including three boundaries.

Jamal bagged four wickets, Hamza took three wickets while Dahani managed two scalps. Mehran Mumtaz also took a wicket.

Shaheens skipper Imran Butt was happy with his team’s performance.

Score summary:

Zimbabwe Select beat Pakistan Shaheens by 24 runs Zimbabwe Select 234 all out, 45.3 overs (Ryan Burl 69, Clive Madande 34; Aamir Jamal 4-35, Mir Hamza 3-37, Shahnawaz Dahani 2-42)

Pakistan Shaheens 210 all out, 47 overs (Mubasir Khan 49, Haseebullah 45, Kamran Ghulam 42; Tendai Chatara 5-37, Wellington Masakadza 3-32)