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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE A take on visiting Bangladesh A in the third oneday match at Queens Sports Club this morning with the series delicately balanced at 11.
The hosts won the first match at Kwekwe on Thursday by five wickets, courtesy of a Keith Dabengwa fivewicket haul and a halfcentury.
But the second match at Queens on Saturday saw Zimbabwe blowing their chances of going 20 up after restricting the tourists to a low 202 from their allocated 50 overs. The hosts failed to take advantage and lost the match by 34 runs.
In fact, it is in batting that Zimbabwe lacked and they also need some improvement in the bowling as at one point they had put the Bangladeshis against the wall 70 for the loss of six wickets, with some superb bowling.
But they let Shamsu Rahman pile up 59, tailenders Syed Rassel and Shahadat Hossain putting up a 70run partnership for the ninth wicketRassel making 41 to give the tourists a total of 202.
It was still an easy target for Zimbabwe, but leftarm spinner Enamul Haque Junior reduced the hosts to 533 with the normally consistent opener Terrence Duffin out for 22. Mluleki Nkala was out for 18, Gregory Strydom for 37 before Zimbabwe lost the last three wickets for five.
They were bowled out for 168 runs after 48.2 overs.
Zimbabwe has been boosted by the return of veteran leftarm seamer Bryan Strang, captain Nkala and Gavin Ewingwho has returned from the three one day international matches from South Africa. With this stronger team, Zimbabwe were expected to cruise to a 20 lead, then wrap up the series today.
This means today’s match will be a battle of wits and Zimbabwe can look forward to the experience gained by Ewing in South Africa to win the match.
Duffin and Sibanda will be under pressure to give Zimbabwe a perfect start, even if they bat second, while banking on Ewing, Nkala and Strydom to add respectable double figures. Strydom is a big hitter who can carry the day for Zimbabwe A.
If the hosts win the toss, it could be better for them as they have proved bad chasers.
In attack, the hosts will bank on the pace of Nkala, and the spin of Dabengwa and Ewing. Dabengwa put up a solid performance in Kwekwe, but he found the pressure just too much to repeat the feat and could only last six minutes at the crease.
There is a battle to maintain places in the Zimbabwe A team as Zimbabwe Cricket is planning more tours for the side, as well as the local Logan Cup and the interprovincial limited overs Faithwear series.
More competition will come from some former senior players who are returning to cricket.
Source:
http://www.chronicle.co.zw/2005/Marc...rts/sport6.htm