Report on second day of Zimbabwe A v Namibia 12-14 January 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe A v Namibia

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The match between Zimbabwe A and Namibia could be heading for an exciting finish after the second day of the match at Harare Sports Club. Thanks to some poor top-order batting from the more experienced Zimbabwe A team, Namibia were set a very possible target of 228 to win and were 14 for one wicket by the close. It will be as much a test of their nerve as anything else when play resumes on the third and final morning.

 

Incident arrived in the first over of the day, when Namibia resumed at 139 for six in reply to Zimbabwe A’s 222. Jordane Nicolle began with a long hop outside off stump, and Deon Kotze gratefully helped himself to a boundary. But he edged the final ball of the over for wicketkeeper Alester Maregwede to take a good diving catch to his right. He departed for 31.

 

His overnight partner, Melt van Schoor, did not last long either, beaten and bowled middle stump by Gary Brent for 7 in the fourth over of the day. Namibia were now in deep trouble at 147 for eight.

 

Gerrie Snyman decided positive play was the best option, with Bjorn Kotze playing a sound supporting role. Snyman hit Brent for a huge six over square leg and raced to his fifty off just 50 balls. He then hit a ball from off-spinner Trevor Gripper directly to deep midwicket to depart for exactly 50; 202 for nine.

 

Last man Kola Burger had the same approach, and within minutes had overtaken his partner Kotze with some lusty blows. Kotze seemed to take umbrage at this and began to hit out, and the last pair added a brisk 34 before Kotze was caught at short leg for 22, leaving Burger 15 not out. They gave Namibia a 14-run lead on first innings and the last two wickets had added 89.

 

Ewing, teasing the batsmen with his flighted off-spin, took four for 12 in 10.3 overs and should have bowled more, as the batsmen clearly had no idea how to handle him. Of the other bowlers, Nicolle took three for 61.

 

Zimbabwe A went in again and Richie Sims continued a personally disastrous match by hooking the first ball of the innings, from Snyman, straight down the throat of the fielder on the fine-leg boundary. Gripper and Andre Hoffman took the score to 50 before Hoffman (20) played a loose shot outside off stump to be caught at slip off the ubiquitous Snyman.

 

Gripper had played soundly for 30 when he threw it away in Snyman’s next over, chasing a ball well wide of off stump and presenting the keeper with a gift-wrapped catch. Then came an entertaining stand of 62 between Maregwede and Doug Marillier, with Marillier in particular looking aggressive.

 

Once again, though, both of them were in one-day mode and failed to capitalize on a good start. They were out in quick succession, Maregwede stumped for 27 off J B Burger and Marillier skying a catch to mid-on off Kola Burger; in the some over Charles Coventry also skyed a catch, and the score had slumped from 115 for three to 119 for six. It was another very poor display from Zimbabwe, and the national selectors – had they actually been present – would have been well satisfied that they did not omit any batsman of note from the Australian touring party.

 

More culpable still was Gavin Ewing, who slogged 19 off 11 balls before lobbing the softest of catches to mid-on. But then came some of the most impressive batting, from Waddington Mwayenga of all people. Used to going in at or around eleven, he batted with confidence and common sense, including two handsome straight drives to the boundary.

 

He shared a valuable partnership with Gary Brent, who scored a dogged 8 before being bowled off the inside edge by a fine ball from Kola Burger that came in off the pitch. It was the time for the tail to show their seniors how to do it, though. Jordane Nicolle indulged in some discriminating slogging and the score rose by leaps and bounds. Namibia found the initiative slowly slipping away from the again.

 

Nicolle scored 27 off 22 balls before skying a catch off Kola Burger, to be taken by the keeper; 212 for nine. Ryan Bennett at eleven was no pushover, though, and he scored 10 before edging J B Burger to slip. He stayed long enough to see Mwayenga through to 51 not out, scored off 75 balls. Zimbabwe A totalled 241, the last three wickets having put on exactly 100. Karel Burger took four wickets, and Snyman and A J Burger three each.

 

This left Namibia needing 228 to win, an interesting situation. The pitch was still very good, but the Namibian batsmen lacked experience, especially in the longer form of the game, and their nerve would be tested. Zimbabwe A struck a crucial early blow, as in the first over, without a run on the board, the dynamic A J Burger was bowled off the inside edge by Nicolle, cutting at a ball too close to him. The stage was set for an enthralling finish.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)