Online Reporter
Sports Reporter
A DOMINANT performance by Durham has left the English County side needing just four wickets today to beat Zimbabwe ‘A’ in their three-day match at Harare Sports Club.
The gulf in class between the visitors and the hosts was in full display as Durham produced a dominant display with both bat and ball to take complete control of the match.
The visitors powered to 368/8 in their first innings and blew away the hosts for just 69.
James Minto was the destroyer-in-chief with his five wickets at a cost of just 21 runs.
William Rhodes provided good support with two wickets.
The hosts just could not deal with the Durham attack and only wicket-keeper Nyasha Mayavo provided any resistance with his 15.
He was the only batter to take his score into double figures.
The next highest score came from extras, who contributed 11 runs to the Zimbabwe A total.
Durham then powered their way to 181/1, in 31 overs, and declared at tea.
That set Zimbabwe ‘A’ a target of 481 runs to win the match.
This was always going to be a virtually impossible target for the Zimbabweans, considering the quality of the visitors’ attack.
And, at stumps yesterday, Zimbabwe ‘A’ were struggling at 115/6 with Dion Myers unbeaten on 20 and has Vincent Masekess (five not out) for company.
Brian Bennett and Ben Curran had identical scores of 20.
It was a better batting performance for the hosts but it appears it’s just a matter of when Durham will complete the victory today.
Rhodes took another two wickets and Mitchell Killeen also took two wickets.
