Zim lose ODI series

Sports Reporter Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tunisia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UNISIAN Center Chanseddew Khalifa emerged as the difference maker between the Zimbabwe Sables and the North African minnows, in a match best described as a ‘game or errors’.

Khalifa, duly given the man-of-themath award, finished with 14 points as the visitors finished 31-23 victors in arguably the most comical encounter of this year’s Gold Cup campaign at Prince Edward grounds.

That it was encounter between the two lowest ranked sides of the Africa group A1 meant very few expected a quality encounter, and the two sides conspired

T(West Indies 257-4 (Stuart 76*,Simmons 89) beat Zimbabwe 187 (Roche 65) by 70 runs.) THE Zimbabwe cricket Under 19 team lost this three- match Youth One Day international series 2-1 after a 70-run defeat to the West Indies at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

After being sent in to bat West Indies made a solid start to their innings, posting 254, and were smart in their defence too.

Captain Liam Roche top scored in the chase with 65, his second fifty of the series, but no one really fired for the hosts who at some point lost wickets in three run outs in a row.

That crushed the hosts’ hopes as they struggled to construct big partnerships like the visitors had done earlier.

West Indies’ opening stand between Bhaskar Yadram (65) and Keagan Simmons (89) yielded 113 runs in 24 overs.

It was followed by another big partnership of 111 between Simmons and captain Emmanuel Stuart who hit an unbeaten 89.

Batting conditions were so good that the West Indies would feel they were to live up to those expectations.

Zimbabwe, the run-out favourites going into the match, were the biggest let down as virtually nothing went their way in terms of rugby basics.

Among their sins were their failure to complete phases and retain possession; all the while they missed their jumpers in the line-outs, gave away unforced turnovers and failed to utilise the strengths which in this case was speed.

Khalifa punished them at every single opportunity as his three penalties, and try from Salen Khanfovs, saw the North Africans race to an early 16-13 lead at the break.

Zimbabwe’s only contribution, during that disappointing half, came from a converted try by in-form scrumhalf at least 30 runs short.

Medium pacer Jonathan Connolly’s 2/33 (8) incisive death bowling excellently slowed the West Indies’ scoring rate.

But West Indies were always going to be difficult to beat with their bowling arsenal.

And they had a good start in their defense led by speedster Darren Nedd who finished with four wickets for 33 runs.

The 18- year old from Grenada removed the opening batsman Gregory Dollar, lbw, with a fast full delivery to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 20-1.

It was soon 28-2 when Ryan Murray was bowled by a another Nedd beauty.

Milton Shumba was next to fall leaving the score at 45-3 and Alistair Frost didn’t stay long as Zimbabwe wobbled at 52-4.

The next three wickets were run outs, first Dion Myers for the second time in the series, Taun Harrison succumbed in the same manner before Wesley Madhevere followed the same script.

That killed the chase for Zimbabwe whose tail didn’t last.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will have little rest time as they will take on Kenya in four one day games in Kwekwe between August 3-7. Hilton Mudariki and two penalties from Vice-captain Tichafara Makwanya.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from that point onwards, as Tunisia maintained their stranglehold on score through some good counter rugby, largely through the exploits of their center Khalifa.

For every penalty or try Zimbabwe made, and there were few and far in-between, the North Africans had a response.

Zimbabwe got on the scoreboard through unconverted tries from Kingsley Lang and Irvine Nduwa, in the 53rd and 66th minutes, only for Tunisia to reply through back to back tries by Chabi Jabri.

Makwanya missed both conversions for the homeside, while Khalifa converted Jabri’s second try on top of another penalty at the start of the half.

After the match, an irate Cyprian Mandenge, the Sables coach, said,” I am very disappointed.

“Tunisia came with game plan and stuck to it, we have got people in the right positions but they are missing tackles.

“I do not know how to defend for people like that, people have to be responsible.

“Last week we talked about fatigue, what do we talk about this week?

“Defence is about attitude, put in the tackles and the guys were missing tackles -three tries were scored straight from guys running us.

“At this level this is not acceptable,” he said.