Report on Zimbabwe A v Namibia one-day match 18 January 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe A v Namibia

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Zimbabwe A levelled the four-match one-day series against Namibia with a convincing 108-run victory at Country Club, headquarters of the CFX Academy, in Harare. Their main performers were Richie Sims, who returned to form with an aggressive 74, and pace bowler Amos Maungwa, who ripped apart the middle order with six wickets.

 

The weather had changed, the sky being overcast and rain in the air. Local prediction was that the match would probably not be completed. Namibia nevertheless continued their policy of preferring to chase, winning the toss once again and putting Zimbabwe A in. They were strengthened by the arrival of Rudi van Vuuren, the doctor who made a name for himself with a fine bowling performance against England in the World Cup.

 

Hamilton Masakadza never got going, struggling for 4 runs off 22 balls in an opening partnership of 36 with the much more fluent Gripper. He was finally caught at the wicket off opening bowler Gerrie Snyman.

 

Douglas Marillier failed to get going this time, although he made 13 off 16 balls before van Vuuren brought back a ball sharply to trap him lbw. The bowlers found little movement in the air under the cloudy skies, but managed some movement off the second-hand pitch. They tighten up on their accuracy, especially with van Vuuren and Bjorn Kotze in tandem, and Gripper and Alester Maregwede found themselves tied down. Finally Gripper pushed at a ball from van Vuuren and edged a catch to the wicketkeeper, Melt van Schoor, for 43. Zimbabwe A were 89 for three in the 20th over.

 

Namibia put themselves in the driving seat as Maregwede, trying to get the score moving, flicked at Bjorn Kotze and gave van Schoor his third catch of the innings. The tourists continued to keep a tight rein on the batsmen, but they lost a vital member of their attack when Charles Coventry drove straight back at Snyman, hitting him on the wrist and forcing him to leave the field.

 

Burton van Rooi completed the over and dismissed Coventry for 20, taking a return catch as the batsman skyed a pull. Piet Rinke came and went for 8, skying an intended sweep off Deon Kotze, but meanwhile Richie Sims was rising to the occasion. His team-mates gave him a rousing ovation on scoring his first run after a ‘pair’ in the three-day match, and he went on to reach a fine fifty off 70 balls.

 

Van Schoor rather spoilt his record, missing a catch off Sims and a stumping of Gary Brent, and they shared a brisk partnership before Brent drove a tame catch to mid-off off Bjorn Kotze for 19. Sims immediately followed, caught at the wicket for 74 off 87 balls, with five fours and two sixes, a fine innings that had restored Zimbabwe A’s prospects.

 

The final wicket to fall was that of Waddington Mwayenga, bowled for 6 trying a reverse sweep to a straight ball from Dion Kotze. Ryan Bennett was unbeaten on 4 and the total was 237 for nine. Two wickets each fell to Dion Kotze, Kota Burger and van Vuuren, the best of the bowlers.

 

Namibia’s target was considerably smaller than the one they had successfully chased on Friday, but the pitch was older and they had to do it without the services of their century-maker in that match. J B Burger therefore restricted himself to four runs off the opening over before beginning his assault in earnest. Mwayenga went for a big six over midwicket, and this time Riaan Walters joined the party. Straight drives and pulls came one after the other as the pair put their bowling to the sword.

 

Zimbabwe’s seamers had no answer to them, but it seems there was no thought of trying a spinner early on. Walters actually dominated the opening stand of 69, hammering 39 off 23 balls, with six fours and a six, before he played a half-hearted shot at Amos Maungwa and was caught low in the gully. Namibia were 69 for one in the eighth over.

 

A J Burger soon followed, playing outside a slower ball from the experienced Brent and being trapped lbw. He scored 29 off 27 balls, with a four and three sixes. The straight drive is his main shot, and the Zimbabwean seamers tended to bowl too full a length to him.

 

Another major loss followed as Maungwa yorked Keulder for 2, his first failure of the tour, and then Hugo Ludick was well caught low at backward point off Brent without scoring. Maungwa finally sealed Namibia’s doom with a ball that came back, kept low and trapped Deon Kotze lbw for a single – he also had failed for the first time on tour. 82 for five, and with Strydom absent Namibia had reached the point of no return. Only the weather could save them now, but it confounded the locals by improving somewhat.

 

Maungwa struck again with another off-cutter, bowling van Rooi through the gate for 2, and then had Bjorn Kotze caught down the leg side, also for 2. Then Kota Burger (1) drove a catch straight to mid-off, giving Maungwa a superb return of six for 29. He bowled a good line and full length from a low trajectory, bringing the ball back occasionally, but it was his persistent accuracy at a lively pace that earned him success.

 

The last wicket was a long time in coming, as van Schoor and van Vuuren batted with defiance and spirit, but eventually Sims persuaded the former to play a ball on to his stumps. The total was 129, and Zimbabwe A had fought back with a 108-run victory.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)