Match report Zimbabwe A v Namibia 20 Jan 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe A v Namibia

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A fluctuating match saw Zimbabwe fight back from the dead several times after another fine Namibian batting performance, only to go down at the end by 12 runs. A superb innings of 79 from Alester Maregwede made for an exciting finish, but it was not quite enough.

 

The match was played at Takashinga Sports Club in the Harare high-density suburb of Highfield, where facilities are still developing. It was unfortunately a public relations flop, as it was poorly advertised and there were few spectators.

 

Rain had seeped under the covers and badly damaged the pitch, so that the umpires considered it unfit for play. Both captains wanted to play, though, unusual and worthy of commendation in the modern era, so it was decided to try to begin an hour after the scheduled start of play, with 45 overs per side. A fire was lit on a metal tray over the worst area of the pitch to help dry it, but further drizzle meant that the covers had to be restored temporarily.

 

Play still began when planned, with conditions slightly improved. Trevor Gripper won the toss for Zimbabwe A and put Namibia in to bat, no doubt hoping the conditions would help his bowlers early on, and no doubt also remembering Namibia’s preference for chasing a target.

 

This did not stop J B Burger and Riaan Walters from getting off to their usual rollicking start. After his heroic bowling in the previous match, Amos Maungwa might have hoped for the new ball, but he had to wait until first change, when the batsmen were already well away, and he could do nothing to stem the flood. He conceded 28 off one over, which included a wide and two no-balls. Extras also boosted the score, with the bowlers conceding wides regularly, perhaps as they attempted to avoid giving Burger the chance of playing his favourite straight drive.

 

The total was 88 in the 12th over when Gary Brent finally broke through, as Walters was caught at slip for 27 chasing a ball wide of off stump. This did not daunt Burger, who hit two successive fours to reach his fifty off 39 balls. Brent got him in the end, too, though, bowling him for 63 (44 balls) with a straight ball that just removed his off bail as he aimed a blow across the line. Namibia were 116 for two in the 16th over.

 

Deon Kotze perhaps tried to be too aggressive. He hit his first two balls for two each, and was then trapped lbw by Brent third ball, aiming for another big hit. However, Danie Keulder was still there, and was joined by Hugo Ludick, who came in to play his first substantial innings of the tour.

 

They shared a brisk partnership before Keulder (18) swung Gripper to midwicket, where Douglas Marillier took a low catch. Next to go was Burton van Rooi, run out for 5 by a smart throw from Waddington Mwayenga at deep midwicket; 174 for five in the 30th over.

 

Wicketkeeper Melt van Schoor played a brisk innings of 25 before being caught at long leg running in, off Mwayenga, and Ludick finally fell for a well-played 71 off 85 balls, run out attempting a quick single to Gripper. Michael Durant hit 13 off 8 balls before the innings closed, Durant bowled by Mwayenga off the last possible ball.

 

Mwayenga finished with three for 48 and Brent, the best of the bowlers, three for 30. On the whole, though, the bowling was not good, and certainly by now Gripper should have tried opening the bowling with a spinner to counter the bludgeoning power of the Namibian openers.

 

Gripper went first ball as Zimbabwe A chased a difficult target of almost six an over, caught in the slips off Kola Burger. His opening partner Hoffman –opening with licence to attack, to try to give the team a quick start - lasted scarcely any longer, trapped lbw by Rudi van Vuuren for 6 as he moved across his stumps and tried to force a straight ball to leg. Zimbabwe A were 17 for two.

 

However, Douglas Marillier and Hamilton Masakadza, the latter not reputed as a one-day player, responded with some superb strokeplay. Playing aggressive but orthodox cricket, they attacked the bowling boldly. Marillier made 33 off 39 balls before being caught at the wicket off Dion Kotze; Masakadza soon followed for 41, middle stump uprooted by a faster ball from Kotze. When Richie Sims was caught and bowled by Keulder for 1, making the score 103 for five, the fat lady started clearing her throat.

 

Piet Rinke scored 14 before being caught near the midwicket boundary off Deon Kotze, but Alester Maregwede continued the fight, aided by Gary Brent. Keeping their own rate on speaking terms with the required run rate of about seven an over, they added 92 together.

 

They were on course to take Zimbabwe A through to an unlikely victory when the return of van Vuuren for his final spell turned the tables again. First he bowled Brent for 34, and then trapped Mwayenga lbw for 1. The final blow came when Maregwede was well caught near the midwicket boundary off J B Burger for 79, a marvellous innings scored off 71 balls and containing 9 fours and 2 sixes. The fat lady was now good and ready at 230 for nine.

 

Jordane Nicolle showed defiance with a six over long leg and then another over long on, and the optimistic were beginning to think yet again of victory – only for a run-out attempting a risky second run to end the innings and the match. Maungwa was out for 4, and Nicolle was unbeaten on 18. With 14 balls left, victory had certainly been possible had the wickets held out.

 

Van Vuuren took three wickets for 61 runs, and Deon Kotze three for 39. Once again Namibia’s top-order batting had been decisive, and Zimbabwe A need to use more creativity in dealing with it – such as opening with a spinner.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)