Match report Zimbabwe A v Bangladeshis 3 Mar 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe A v Bangladeshis

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The one-day warm-up match between Zimbabwe A and the Bangladeshi touring team was abandoned as a draw due to rain, with the tourists in trouble at 96 for five after 28.3 overs with their captain Habibul Bashar retired hurt.

 

As with Bulawayo, Kwekwe had been heavily swamped by rain the previous week, but the two days prior to the match had been dry and the ground looked in fine condition, thanks to the groundsman and Midlands cricketer Colin Delport. The match day began warm, cloudy with intermittent sun and dry, but there was always the chance of rain later in the day.

 

Bangladesh batted on winning the toss, but lost Alok Kapali, opening while Hannan Sarkar rested, in the first over, bowled by Travis Friend. He stepped in front of a full toss and departed lbw without scoring. Shahriar Hossain (5) did not blast much longer, driving Gary Brent straight to extra cover, and the tourists were two down for 17.

 

Habibul Bashar looked in much better form on this occasion than he had in the Tests, but Friend was erratic, producing two accidental hip-high full tosses, the second of which hit Bashar a painful blow on the forearm. He was forced to retire hurt on 13. There was no break, but only severe bruising, and it was expected that he would be fit to play at the weekend should the weather permit any cricket.

 

More misfortune hit the beleaguered tourists as Mohammad Ashraful (5) moved across his stumps and was declared lbw, perhaps dubiously, to Brent; 39 for three. This became 51 for four when Manjarul Islam Rana (6) fished outside the off stump and edged Brent to first slip. Brent caused the batsmen serious problems and they were doubtless relieved when he had bowled out his ten overs, to finish with figures of three for 19.

 

Rajin Saleh survived, but he almost perished as Piet Rinke replaced Brent, snicking a ball high to wicket-keeper Alester Maregwede, who leapt but was unable to hold the catch. Mushfiqur Rahman hit a brisk 15 before chipping Gavin Ewing to midwicket; 79 for five.

 

At 96 for five, in the 29th over, a sudden downpour halted play, which caused serious problems as several hundred schoolchildren had very little shelter at the ground. After an hour virtually all the rain had stopped and an early lunch was taken. However, so much rain had fallen on the ground during the previous week that large areas near the edge of the square were waterlogged and the match was abandoned at that point, much to the disappointment of the small but enthusiastic Midlands cricketing community who had worked so hard for their major event.

 

With the news of more rain in Bulawayo, the players must now wait to see whether play will be possible in the two one-day internationals due to be staged there this coming weekend.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)