Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
BRAD EVANS starred with bat and ball as Zimbabwe survived a late Namibia fightback to claim a five-run victory in their tri-series clash at the FNB Namibia Cricket Grounds yesterday.
Evans struck an unbeaten 37 and shared an unbroken 94-run seventh-wicket partnership with Ryan Burl to rescue Zimbabwe from 76 for four and lift them to 195 for six.
He then returned with the ball and claimed three wickets in a dramatic final over as Namibia, needing 16 runs to win, were bowled out for 190.
The win put Zimbabwe back into contention after their seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in the opening match, with Evans earning his first Player-of-the-Match award.
All three teams, Zimbabwe, South Africa and hosts Namibia, now have one win after the opening round of matches.
Zimbabwe had appeared to be cruising when Namibia slipped to 76 for six, but Zane Green and Alex Busing-Volschenk dragged the hosts back into the contest with a seventh-wicket partnership worth 110 runs from 51 balls.
Busing-Volschenk top-scored with 56 off 29 deliveries, including three fours and four sixes, while Green struck 54 from 26 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes.
Their stand left Namibia needing 16 from the final over before Evans held his nerve.
Green was run out during the over, while Evans claimed three wickets as Zimbabwe finally closed out the contest.
Evans finished with figures of three for 41, while Brian Bennett claimed two for eight. Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza took a wicket each.
Earlier, Namibia won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in to bat. Openers Ben Curran and Bennett gave the Chevrons another flying start, taking the score to 64 for one during the power-play.
But, just as they had against South Africa, Zimbabwe surrendered the early advantage.
Bennett was the first to go after making 32 off 21 balls when he found JJ Frylinck at deep backward square leg off JJ Smit.
Dion Myers followed for two, bowled by Bernard Scholtz, before skipper Raza’s poor run continued when he was dismissed without scoring.
It was Raza’s third duck in five innings and his 12th in T20 internationals.
Curran, who had looked well set, then fell for 38 from 22 deliveries as Zimbabwe slumped from 64 for one to 76 for four.
Tadiwanashe Marumani made 18 from 11 balls before Burl and Evans rebuilt the innings.
Their unbeaten 94-run stand came from 48 deliveries, with Burl top-scoring on 57 not out from 32 balls.
Evans added an unbeaten 37 from 24 as Zimbabwe recovered to post 195 for six.
Gerhard Erasmus was Namibia’s most successful bowler with three for 46, while Scholtz, Smit and Max Heingo claimed a wicket each.
Despite the victory, Raza was unhappy with the way Zimbabwe allowed Namibia back into the contest.
“Credit to Namibia for making it a good game. Credit to their batters too.
“We don’t want to take anything away from them, but I thought we were poor at the end. We had three quarters ticked out of four. We bowled okay until the 14th over, but we need to get better. “We have to try and win every game and be as good as we can be.
“I’m really grateful we won the game, but I didn’t think we were that good,” he said.
Evans was delighted to have played a decisive role with both bat and ball.
“It feels pretty good to earn my first Player-of-the-Match award,” he said.
“I enjoy these moments, like bowling the final over. I kept a simple plan which I executed.” On his partnership with Burl, Evans added: “It is something I have been working hard on, and it has come on in leaps and bounds.”
