Ireland vs Zimbabwe

With 2 tests just played against England resulting in 2 innings losses, Zimbabwe started their one day program looking for something positive to take from this controversial tour.

With the squad having been vetted on political grounds, Zimbabwe have missed several key players and consequently have struggled in the Test series. Today was to be no different at the Civil Service CC in Belfast against an Irish side looking to strengthen their case for National Cricket League status.

It started badly for the tourists when Dougie Marillier was bowled comprehensively, when the score was zero, by Paul Mooney. Things didn't improve as 2 more wickets fell quickly (Coventry 4, Sims 0) leaving Zimbabwe 12/3. However, Dion Ebrahim and Matsikenyeri repaired some of the damage with a stand of 96 for the 4th wicket with contrasting styles. Ebrahim stuttering style compared to Matsikenyeri's fluency, which led Zimbabwe to 108/3 but then Matsikenyeri was stumped for 50, next Ebrahim and Sean Ervine fell at 132/5 and 133/6 respectively leaving Zimbabwe yet again struggling. Tatenda Taibu and Travis Friend shared a partnership of 37 which allowed Zimbabwe to post a still miserable 182 all out from one ball short of their allotted 50 overs. The pick of the bowlers for Ireland was Gary Neely who managed figures of 3 for 30.

Stand-in captain Tatenda Taibu and his team could have thought this was defendable as the outfield was heavy and the sky overcast but it was not to be as the Ireland captain, Jason Molins, led by example by bludgeoning 107* from 101 balls with 14 fours and 2 sixes and sharing in a partnership of 183 for the 1st wicket with the Australian Jeremy Bray (67*) inflicting a heavy 10 wicket loss on the Zimbabwean team. Tatenda Taibu swapped and changed bowlers (he used 8) but to no avail as the batsmen never looked troubled and reached their target with 16.2 overs to spare.

This does not bode well for the NatWest Series this summer, as the Zimbabweans face England and South Africa. It is not easy to see how things will get better for the tourists until political pressure from the government is removed from the selectors and they can be free to select of merit.

Maybe the ICC has to step in and put a stop to this practice because it denies the sport of cricket players of international potential and also rules out almost all chance of Zimbabwe winning any games in the coming NatWest Series.

Zimbabwe 182 all out (49.5 overs) Ebrahim 52, Matsikenyeri 50, Nelly 3/30

Ireland 183/0 (33.4 overs) Molins 107*, Bray 67*.



Posted by Peter