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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE yesterday eased past Ireland by five wickets in the first Twenty20 International cricket encounter played at Harare Sports Club to take a one nil lead in the three-match series.
The win by Zimbabwe saw the head to head between the two teams level at five wins apiece in this format of the game after Ireland headed into the fixture with a 5-4 lead.
Putting up a brilliant performance with the ball after electing to field first, Zimbabwe bowled out their opponents for 114 in 19.2 overs and chased down the target with two overs to spare finishing on 118-5 in 18 overs.
The Zimbabwean bowlers were on fire from the start, leg spinner with Ryan Burl finishing with the best bowling figures of 3/29 in four overs. He was supported by left arm spinner Wellington Masakadza who took 2/13 in his four overs.
Fast bowlers, Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava also took two wickets each, conceding 17 and 20 runs respectively as the Chevrons ripped through the Irish’s batting line up.
Gareth Delany top scored for Ireland with 24 runs, followed by Curtis Campher with 20 runs.
In their run chase, the Chevrons got off to a bad start, losing their openers early on in the game. Skipper Craig Ervine and Tadiwanashe Marumani scored four runs each before losing their wickets while Wessly Madhevere fell for 16 runs.
It was the left handed pair of Sean Williams and debutant Garry Ballance who steadied Zimbabwe’s innings in the middle as they finished as the team’s leading run scorers. Williams top scored with 34 not out from 30 deliveries while Ballance fell for 30 off 29 balls to see the team through to their first win in their first match of the year.
Wicketkeeper Clive Madande knocked off the winning runs, ending things off with a boundary as he ended the match on an unbeaten 18 runs off 10 balls. Harry Tector and Mike Adair took two wickets each for the visitors and the other one was taken by Barry McCarthy.
The second T20I is on at Harare Sports Club on Saturday before the final match of the series takes place at the same venue the next day. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter