| 0.2 : 0.2: Tim Murtagh to C Zhuwao, SIX! That's gone a long way! Zimbabwe are up and running! Meaty blow! Fuller ball and in the zone around off, Zhuwao stands tall and just lofts it down the ground. Clean strike as the ball sails over the long on fence. |
| 1.3 : 1.3: B McCarthy to C Zhuwao, FOUR! This lad is putting up a show here! Back of a length delivery outside off, not much pace on it, Zhuwao backs away and nails it with a flat-bat over mid off. Off the meat, that. |
| 2.4 : 2.4: Tim Murtagh to C Zhuwao, SIX! The 'southpaw Hamilton Masakadza', is what Ricky just yelled out next to me. Can't say I disagree either. What a hit! Back of a length on off, Zhuwao rocks back in a flash and muscles this pull over mid-wicket. It's actually out of the stadium as it bounces off the roof. |
| 3.4: B McCarthy to C Zhuwao, OUT! And the Irish are on their way! It was fun while it lasted, but Cephas Zhuwao departs. Fuller on the stumps, the left-hander looks to go big downtown. Gets a lot of height on it, but not enough distance as Boyd Rankin out in the deep at long on takes a well-judged catch just inside the rope. |
| 4.5 : 4.5: Tim Murtagh to H Masakadza, FOUR! In the air but that's hit too hard! Full and outside off, Hamilton hammers it back past the bowler, and the diving mid off fielder for a boundary. |
| 5.4 : 5.4: B McCarthy to S Mire, SIX! BOOM! Doesn't fail to connect well on this one. Banged in short, on off, Solomon Mire quickly shifts back and powers the pull shot over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. |
| 7.3 : 7.3: B Rankin to H Masakadza, FOUR! Exquisite shot! Perfect timing. Didn't put any kind of power on that, at all. Full and straight, Masakadza just eases this back down the ground, past mid on to the boundary line. |
| 8.5 : 8.5: A McBrine to S Mire, OUT! McBrine strikes in his first over! Foxes the batsman beautifully. Solomon Mire skips down the track to play for the turn, but there is none as McBrine bowls the straighter one around off. It goes past the outside edge and it's a simple stumping for Niall O Brien behind. |
| 9.4 : 9.4: B Rankin to H Masakadza, OUT! GONE! Masakadza is out of here. A half-hearted shot has done him in. Back of a length outside off, Hamilton is in two minds, first tries to feel for it but then attempts to withdraw. Too late though, as a faint edge is drawn and the keeper takes a regulation catch. |
| 11.4: B Rankin to B Taylor, FOUR! Errs in line and pays the price. Rankin darts it full on the pads, a player of Brendan Taylor's quality will put that away all day. Flicks it through square leg and finds the fence. |
| 12.2 : 12.2: A McBrine to B Taylor, SIX! Hit as clean as a whistle! Too full, a lot of flight and right in the slot for Brendan Taylor, he leans forward and smokes it straight back down the ground for a maximum. |
| 16.2: Tim Murtagh to S Williams, OUT! Oh, dear. What is Sean Williams doing? The man was there precisely for that. He knows it, the frustration on his face shows it. A disappointing way to be dismissed. Short ball and Williams takes the pull on. Finds Barry McCarthy to perfection at deep square leg who takes a good catch. Ireland's plan works down to the tee, they have the breakthrough they wanted. |
| 20.2: A McBrine to B Taylor, OUT! LBW! Brendan Taylor leaves his side in some more trouble now. They haven't even crossed the 100-run mark and already half the side is back in the hut. McBrine lands this outside off, this time Taylor opts to play the reverse sweep. It turns back in and raps the batter near the thigh. A huge appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Looked to be going down leg in the replays but nothing that Brendan can do about it. No reviews and it means that, he has to continue |
| 21.5 : 21.5: K O'Brien to C Ervine, FOUR! Nicely done! Deft as you would call it! Waits for the length ball outside off and just at the right time, Ervine opens the bat face and steers it fine down to third man for a boundary. |
| 24.1 : 24.1: A McBrine to C Ervine, FOUR! There was an element of risk involved but Ervine has done well! Flatter delivery outside off, Craig Ervine gets into the position early and reverse sweeps it fine down to third man to raise the 100 up for Zimbabwe. |
| 24.6 : 24.6: A McBrine to C Ervine, SIX! Craig Ervine has given the treatment that it deserved! McBrine drops it short on middle, Craig rocks back and takes him over a journey over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. |
| 26.6: P Stirling to C Ervine, OUT! Superb from Niall O'Brien. Really good awareness shown and Ireland continue to dominate the proceedings. Zimbabwe are just not able to string partnerships and have lost another man in name of Craig Ervine. Fuller delivery around middle and leg, Craig leans ahead and defends it towards the leg side. He wants a run and so sets off. Niall O'Brien behind the stumps is quick to get to the ball, he takes his one glove off and swoops a good flat throw towards the bow |
| 29.5 : 29.5: B McCarthy to S Raza, SIX! Boom! Sikandar Raza is the man for Zimbabwe! Gets a short ball, goes deep in the crease and pummels it over deep square leg for half a dozen. |
| 29.6 : 29.6: B McCarthy to S Raza, FOUR! Edgyyy! 10 coming from the last two balls! Good length ball, thrown wider outside off, Raza swings hard at it but the slowness on the ball takes the outside edge and flies down past the keeper for a streaky boundary. |
| 32.5 : 32.5: P Stirling to S Raza, FOUR! Beautiful! Picked his spot and executed the shot to perfection! Full outside off, Raza goes inside out over covers and finds the fence. |
| 33.1 : 33.1: K O'Brien to G Cremer, OUT! And he strikes instantly on his return. Graeme Cremer is out of here. Fuller in length and it shapes back in, just enough to sneak through the gap between bat and pad. Another wicket down, Ireland celebrate. |
| 33.5 : 33.5: K O'Brien to T Chisoro, FOUR! BANG! Wasting no time. Full and around off, Chisoro kneels down and murders it straight back over the bowler's head for a boundary. |
| 36.5: A McBrine to T Chisoro, FOUR! That deserved to be punished! Short, wide and outside off, Chisoro has all the time in the world to rock back and smash it through the covers for a boundary. |
| 41.4 : 41.4: B McCarthy to T Chisoro, FOUR! Streaky runs! But Chisoro and Zimbabwe would gladly welcome it. Length ball on middle, it goes off the inside edge and across the fine leg fence for a boundary. |
| 44.5 : 44.5: Tim Murtagh to T Chisoro, OUT! Edged and taken! Murtagh slants this across on a length around off, Chisoro has a feel for it and nicks it behind to the keeper who takes a regulation catch. End of a useful 42-run stand comes to an end. |
| 46.1 : 46.1: Tim Murtagh to K Jarvis, OUT! Jarvis departs! Length ball on middle and off, Jarvis comes a step down and plays away from his body. Gets it off the outer half towards point where Paul Stirling dives to his right and takes a good catch. |
| 47.1: B McCarthy to S Raza, FOUR! Full and straight on the stumps, Raza clears his front leg and murders this straight back over the bowler's head for a boundary. Powerful hit. |
| 48.5 : 48.5: B Rankin to S Raza, FOUR! There it is! That's the shot he was looking for. Full and in the slot, this time Raza makes room for himself and more importantly, connects well. He lofts it over covers and sends it across the boundary line. |
| 49.2 : 49.2: B McCarthy to S Raza, SIX! Sikandar Raza is an absolute genius! Oh, you little ripper. What a hit! Bang! Right out of the screws! It's in his slot, he stays deep inside the crease, clears his front leg and smokes it straight back down the ground for a maximum. |
| 49.5 : 49.5: B McCarthy to S Raza, SIX! Oh, yes! He's making everything happen here. The crowd goes wild as it knows they have some hope now. Raza stands tall and sends it sailing into the long on stands for half a dozen. Last ball of the innings, can he finish it off with another big one? |
| 0.6 : 0.6: K Jarvis to W Porterfield, FOUR! Shot! Back of a length delivery, angling away a touch, doesn't matter for the Irish skipper. He stands tall and fetches it from outside off to pull it over mid-wicket for a boundary to end the first over. |
| 3.2 : 3.2: T Chisoro to W Porterfield, OUT! Straight to Raza! Tendai Chisoro strikes to send the opposition skipper back! Didn't deserve a wicket on this ball but somehow will be relieved. He has his hands aloft and celebrates! A half tracker from the bowler, William Porterfield rocks back to pull but much to his dismay he finds Raza stationed at mid-wicket who accepts a good catch. First blood drawn by the Zimbabweans! |
| 6.6 : 6.6: K Jarvis to A Balbirnie, OUT! Wonderful catch from Brendan Taylor! Andy Balbirnie is on his way back! Superb bowling, this! Zimbabwe have got two quick wickets, an ideal start for them. Jarvis goes wide of the crease, hurls it on a length and this one nips back in a touch from outside off. Andy stands tall to defend but the inward movement takes the inside edge and flies to Taylor behind who takes a good diving catch to his left. |
| 7.4 : 7.4: T Chisoro to Ed Joyce, OUT! He is! Ireland slip further. This isn't good for them. Brendan Taylor and Zimbabwe are ecstatic. Terrific glovework behind the stumps. It's turning down the leg side, Joyce looks to flick but misses and in the process, he for some reason drags his back leg out of the crease. Brendan Taylor is alert to this, he takes the bails off in a flash and appeals. It's taken upstairs replays and show that Ed is gone. No wide is given because the ball went off the thigh pad. |
| 8.1 : 8.1: K Jarvis to N O'Brien, FOUR! Short ball into the body. Niall swivels and pulls it away powerfully across the deep square leg fence for a boundary. |
| 9.1: T Chisoro to P Stirling, FOUR! Spinning away from outside off, Stirling slices this away with a big swing of the arms. Over backward point and away to the boundary line. |
| 11.3 : 11.3: T Chisoro to N O'Brien, OUT! Another Irish wicket down! Short ball on the stumps, Niall O'Brien goes on the back foot and pulls. Only managed a top edge which flies towards backward square leg. Blessing from short fine leg runs to his right and takes a superb catch diving for it. |
| 12.6 : 12.6: B Muzarabani to P Stirling, FOUR! Good shot! Short of a length delivery on middle, Stirling gets on top of the bounce and pulls it through backward square leg for a boundary. A much-needed one. |
| 13.5 : 13.5: T Chisoro to K O'Brien, FOUR! Easily done! Darted on the pads, Kevin O'Brien bends his back leg and paddle sweeps it past the man at short fine leg for a boundary to bring up the 50 up for Ireland. |
| 15.2 : 15.2: S Williams to K O'Brien, OUT! Edged and gone! Sean Williams is off for a celebratory run. Look what this means to him. Ireland have lost half their side and look out of sorts now. Beautifully tossed up outside off, Kevin O'Brien presses forward to defend but the ball turns away just a wee bit and that is enough to catch the edge. The ball deflects off the keeper's pads and it's an excellent take from the big man, Hamilton Masakadza at first slip with a dive to his left. Ireland need 158 mo |
| 16.2: B Muzarabani to P Stirling, FOUR! Goodness me, that was come off the middle! Short ball and it sits up at a good height. Stirling with all his might blasts it over cover for a boundary. |
| 17.4 : 17.4: S Williams to P Stirling, FOUR! Inside edge! Paul Stirling comes forward to play for the turn but this one kept coming in with the arm. It takes the inside edge and evades the leg stump by a whisker for a boundary towards fine leg. Ireland need some more luck. |
| 19.5 : 19.5: S Williams to G Wilson, FOUR! Deft! Quicker and flatter through the air outside off, Gary Wilson sits back and guides it fine to leave the man at short third man stranded. |
| 26.4 : 26.4: G Cremer to P Stirling, FOUR! Swept away! Tossed up outside off, Stirling sits down and sweeps it neatly through backward square leg for a boundary. |
| 26.6 : 26.6: G Cremer to P Stirling, OUT! Run out! Paul Stirling continues to trudge! Big, big wicket and Ireland lose their mainstay now. Zimbabwe are on a roll here, the crowd is elated as well. Stirling punches it off the back foot towards cover and sets off for a single. Raza charges to the ball and seeing this Wilson sends him back late. By the time the Irish opener can turn back, Sikandar fires in a flat throw to Taylor who takes the bails off. It looked out but the umpire refers it upstairs. Fir |
| 28.1 : 28.1: G Cremer to G Wilson, OUT! The skip has a wicket! Tosses it right up there, on middle and off, it skids on through and catches Gary Wilson on the front pad. His defense is beat and the appeal goes up. The finger doesn't hesitate and raises his finger in an instant. Zimbabwe just two wickets away from victory now. |
| 30.5 : 30.5: G Cremer to B McCarthy, OUT! Only two wickets for Zimbabwe to win this game. Tossed up on the stumps, McCarthy looks to go across the line but gets a big leading edge over the bowler's head. Sean Williams there settles himself under the ball and takes a safe catch. |
| 31.6 : 31.6: S Raza to B Rankin, OUT! Sikandar Raza gets his first of the game! Floats it up from around the wicket, it's slow in pace. Rankin has a wild slog across the line but gets beaten in the flight and misses to connect. It goes under his bat and knocks the bails over. |
| 34.2 : 34.2: G Cremer to Tim Murtagh, OUT! ZIMBABWE WIN BY 107 RUNS! A good, good victory for them. Murtagh gives the charge and looks to clear the mid-wicket fence. But there's not enough power in it to clear the rope. Solomon Mire in the deep runs to his right and takes a fine catch. |
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