5th ODI: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, 1 Dec 2002 John Ward |
Pakistan innings:
Pre-game: Zimbabwe innings: |
Zimbabwe opened with Travis Friend and Olonga, and these two produced the most - the only - impressive new-ball bowling for the country on this tour. They had Pakistan's makeshift opening pair of Kamran Akmal and Faisal Iqbal playing warily, if not in actual trouble, with some seam movement and a fair degree of accuracy, and Friend removed Kamran for 3, fishing outside the off stump.
It appeared that Pakistan, after the ease with which they rolled over Zimbabwe throughout the tour, were a little careless; Misbah-ul-Haq had not scored when he skyed an attempted pull and Friend himself completed the return catch; Pakistan 16 for two.
Faisal responded with a huge six off Olonga, that pitched on the roof of the three-storey stand at square leg and bounced over the top. He continued his aggression, but when 25 had an incredible back-foot heave at Olonga that sent up a massive skyer, to be well taken by Grant Flower at extra cover. Pakistan 39 for three. Olonga was perhaps the better bowler of the two, with Friend's effort marred by seven wides in this spell and ten altogether.
Then Zimbabwe's two long-time nemeses, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana, came together to restore normal service. They were only partly successful, adding 51 before Inzamam (27) hit a sharp return catch to Brian Murphy. Younis Khan came in to play fluently, and the run rate rose steadily to more than five an over, with Youhana accelerating effortlessly to reach yet another fifty off 56 balls; Younis, who began more quickly, took 42 for his. The support bowlers did not support too accurately and the pressure relaxed; 77 runs came between the 20th and 30th overs.
Youhana scored 405 runs in the series and for the first time Zimbabwe managed to dismiss him - but for 88 (93 balls) and due to a run-out. Quick work by Grant Flower at mid-on accounted for him as he backed up too far, and Pakistan were 219 for five after a stand worth 129.
Shahid Afridi announced himself with a huge straight six off Olonga's last ball; the bowler's figures of one for 53 off ten overs did him no justice. But Olonga got his revenge in the next over with a fine throw from the deep to run Afridi out for 8.
Douglas Hondo bowled with great accuracy and skill, and got his reward when Younis (90 off 75 balls) missed a well-deserved century as he hit a low full toss straight to midwicket. Wasim Akram (22) and Saqlain Mushtaq (13), both unbeaten, saw Pakistan through to set another target of over 300.
The only real question to be asked about this match was whether Zimbabwe can salvage some pride and give Pakistan a close contest in this the final game of the one-day series. Unless Pakistan are grossly careless, a Zimbabwean victory seems out of the question. Although their batting might do a sound job, their bowling has been much too weak, and as the catching has been fallible Zimbabwe have little or nothing to offer in this department. Pakistan's batsmen have no doubt been pleading with their captain to put them at the top of the order so they can bolster their one-day international career records.
Zimbabwe made two changes, bringing back Craig Evans and Henry Olonga for Sean Ervine and Gary Brent. Pakistan restored Wasim Akram for Mohammad Zahid, but such is the gap between the two teams that these are unlikely to affect the outcome.
The teams were as follows:
Zimbabwe: Dion Ebrahim, Mark Vermeulen, *Alistair Campbell, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Craig Evans, +Tatenda Taibu, Travis Friend, Brian Murphy, Henry Olonga, Douglas Hondo.
Pakistan: Faisal Iqbal, +Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, *Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami.
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 01 Dec2002 - 19:24