Warmup Match: Zimbabwe 'A' v Indians at Harare, 22 Jun 2001
John Ward
Indians innings: End of match,
Zimbabwe 'A' innings: Zimbabwe 'A' Innings,

INDIANS ROMP HOME AGAINST ZIMBABWE A

India did not enjoy a very testing warm-up for their first one-day international in the triangular tournament, against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Zimbabwe A put up a dismal batting performance on Friday, allowing the Indians to romp home to an all-too-easy ten wicket victory in this match played at Sunrise Sports Club, in the heart of the Harare Indian community.

Zimbabwe A suffered a poor start after winning the toss and batting. They lost both openers for 18, but then schoolboy Stuart Matsikenyeri (38) and Craig Wishart (22) overcame keen bowling backed by some superb fielding to improve the position with some bold strokes. The two added 56 runs for the third wicket off 12.5 overs.

However, both fell in quick succession, together with Barney Rogers (0), and the score plummeted to 78 for five. It soon became 84 for seven as Tatenda Taibu ran himself out for 4 and captain Paul Strang was caught at the wicket first ball. Dirk Viljoen (12) briefly held up the tourists, but it was generally a miserable display by the home team who lost the last eight wickets for 29 runs off 13 overs. Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Zaheer Khan and Hemang Badani took two cheap wickets each and two run outs hastened the end of the innings.

Virender Shewag got the Indian reply going with some lusty blows, and Sourav Ganguly soon began to find his form, hitting a huge six over long-on. Shewag generally caught the eye, though, playing his strokes with gay abandon, and finished unbeaten on 75 (two sixes, 10 fours), with Ganguly on 31. Only Bryan Strang was able to keep the score within reasonable bounds as the Zimbabwe A bowlers appeared as outclassed as their batsmen. They could and should have done much better, but it wasn't easy to believe on this showing


INDIANS BOWL OUT ZIMBABWE A FOR 103 RUNS

Zimbabwe A were shot out for 103 runs off only 32.4 overs in their one day match against the touring Indian team at the Sunrise Sports Club ground in Harare on Friday.

Zimbabwe A suffered a poor start after winning the toss and batting. They lost both openers for 18, but then schoolboy Stuart Matsikenyeri (38) and Craig Wishart (22) overcame keen bowling backed by some superb fielding to improve the position with some bold strokes. The two added 56 runs for the third wicket off 12.5 overs.

However, both fell in quick succession, together with Barney Rogers (0), and the score plummeted to 78 for five. It soon became 84 for seven as Tatenda Taibu ran himself out for 4 and captain Paul Strang was caught at the wicket first ball. Dirk Viljoen (12) briefly held up the tourists, but it was generally a miserable display by the home team who lost the last eight wickets for 29 runs off 13 overs. Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Zaheer Khan and Hemang Badani took two cheap wickets each and two run outs hastened the end of the innings.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 22 Jun2001 - 14:30