Report on Zimbabwe A v Zimbabwe Under-19s 1st match 2003/04

Report on Zimbabwe A v Zimbabwe Under-19s 1st match 2003/04 by John Ward

Scorecard:

In an exciting finish, Zimbabwe A beat the Zimbabwe Under-19 team by just a single run off the last ball of the match at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare.

Two major batting partnerships dominated the match. Zimbabwe A were struggling at 69 for 4 when Douglas Marillier joined opener Trevor Gripper, with three of the wickets having fallen the medium-paced all-rounder Elton Chigumbura. The pair proceeded to add 165 at almost a run a ball before Marillier was out for 71. Gripper batted through the innings for 137, a message to the national selectors delivered a little too late.

Zimbabwe A appeared a little overconfident, and they almost paid for it. After Tafadzwa Mufambisi departed in the third over, Brendan Taylor and James Cameron added 170 off 165 balls to give the Under-19 team a great chance. Cameron, exhausted, pushed a meek return catch to depart for 84, and eventually Taylor fell the same way for 94.

Off-spinners Gripper and Richie Sims worked their way through the middle order, with only Craig Ervine (32) able to last long. In the final over, bowled by Mluleki Nkala, seven runs were needed for victory with two wickets in hand, but two lbw decisions won the match at the last squeak for Zimbabwe A.