Date-stamped : 05 Dec94 - 10:34 WSC 1994/95 : Zimbabwe v Australia "A" played at the WACA ground, Perth, 4 Dec 94 AUSTRALIA A BEAT ZIMBABWE Australia's A team whipped Zimbabwe by five wickets Sunday in the second match of the World Series cricket contest. The Australian second team raced to 5-167 from 35.5 overs after Zimbabwe had squandered a feverishly fast start to finish with an inadequate 9-166 from their 50 overs. Openers Andy Flower and his brother Grant hammered 69 in 60 minutes off 14.2 overs for the first wicket. Australian opener Darren Lehmann made mincemeat of the Zimbabwe attack, scoring 85. (Thanks : INtv) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> more Five years of living dangerously is paying dividends for the bul- bous and often brilliant left-hand batsman, Darren Lehmann. The 24-year-old opener made a judicious run-a-ball 85 to guide the Australian A team to a decisive five-wicket win over Zimbabwe with almost 15 overs to spare at the WACA Ground in Perth yester- day. Lehmann bears the burden of being one of the unprivileged few to have been 12th man for Australia in a Test and two limited over internationals, and never to have represented his country. Should Mark Waugh fail to satisfy Australian team physiothera- pist Errol Alcott of his recovery from a thigh strain at the Syd- ney Cricket Ground nets this morning, Lehmann`s dream might be- come a reality as soon as tomorrow in the day-night international against England at the SCG. ``Being 12th man crosses my mind all the time,`` Lehmann said yesterday after the A team success, batting second and overtaking Zimbabwe, 5-167 to 9-166. ``It`s every cricketer`s desire to play at the highest level, to play for your country, and obviously it has been mine ever since I started as a kid,`` Lehmann said. ``Since I missed Test selec- tion, shot selection is probably the thing I`ve tempered. I`m always nervous so it suits my purpose to open in one-day matches, to get my team off to a flier.`` Following their tense, two-wicket loss to the Australian side at the WACA Ground on Friday, everything was coming up roses in Zimbabwe`s garden yesterday after 15 overs against the A team. Twenty runs from Jo Angel`s second over with captain Andy Flower (44) striking four boundaries in succession and smart running with his brother, Grant (26), sent expectations soaring of a spirited performance by the tourists. Alas, the metaphors and boundaries dried up in the 15th over at 1-69 when Andy Flower skied Merv Hughes into the covers and Zimbabwe`s optimism of an upset disappeared through the gate with their captain. So effectively did man-of-the-match Tom Moody (10-5-16-3), fast bowler Hughes (10-1-21-2) and off-spinner Gavin Robertson (10-1-34-1) apply wheel locks that in the next 30 overs, Zimbabwe added only another 71 runs, losing six batsmen in the dismal process. The splendidly co-ordinated running displayed by the Flower brothers disintegrated to such an extent after the opening partnership that Zimbabwe lost three batsmen through poor run outs, all executed by Matthew Hayden`s alertness and sharp re- turns. Zimbabwe could ill-afford to lose a batsman of the ex- perience of David Houghton (10) through sheer carelessness, turn- ing a ball behind square leg to Hayden and being too tardy to re- gain his ground. No 9 Gary Martin offered an unbeaten 25 from 34 balls, but Zimbabwe`s middle order was fearfully indecisive and the innings ground on in perfect batting conditions, the last nine batsmen contributing just four boundaries. Adding to the visitor`s misery, left-arm new-ball bowler David Brain (0-40) began with two wides in the first over, over-stepped for a no-ball and then was straight driven down the ground by opener Hayden (16). Lehmann apart, Australia`s young guns all had damp powder. Hay- den was beaten by Heath Streak`s leg-cutter for a catch at the wicket; Damien Martyn (15) and Justin Langer (24) were in nice touch until half-hearted strokes provided catches; and Ricky Ponting (0) was beaten in a camera finish by Martin`s run out throw. At 4-108, the A team might have developed a rattle or two, but Lehmann and Moody (16 not out) kept the engine idling to complete a win that was more methodical than mercurial. Skipper Flower, who drove and cut with refreshing ambition in the early stages, struck six boundaries, but it was Lehmann`s 12 resounding boun- daries which brought the tourists to heel. Thanks :: Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald. Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.OZ.AU)