adminAN unbroken 164-run partnership between Craig Ervine and Sean Williams saw Zimbabwe canter to an eight-wicket victory against Nepal to open their World Cup Qualifier campaign.
The West Indies also started with a win after a 39-run victory over a battling United States.
At a packed Harare Sports Club, Ervine played a captain’s knock to ensure Nepal’s 290 for 8 never looked overwhelming for his side, his fourth ODI hundred the highlight of a brilliant Zimbabwean batting performance.
Williams went one better, scoring Zimbabwe’s fastest-ever hundred to help the side wrap up the game with nearly six overs to spare.
Zimbabwe started brightly in their pursuit, with Joylord Gumbe taking advantage of the powerplay to strike early boundaries and get the side off to a punchy start.
After Sompal Kami trapped him in front, Wesley Madhevere and Ervine continued in the same vein.
Zimbabwe were particularly adept at rotating the strike, and quick to punish the loose deliveries.
With Nepal’s attack ill-equipped to threaten, especially on a surface as docile as this, the home side had the experience of knowing the game was theirs to lose.
That experience proved especially salient when Williams joined his fellow old hand Ervine at the crease.
Madhevere had been done in by the short ball, but these two left-handers were perfectly equipped to handle Nepal’s spin.
Crucially, they went about neutering Sandeep Lamichhane from the very first over, getting on top of his variations and punishing him whenever he erred in line and length.
In the end, the only person discombobulated by Lamichhane’s variety was the bowler himself as he struggled for rhythm.
Zimbabwe ensured he registered his second-most expensive figures in ODI cricket, 10-0-77-0. – Cricinfo
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter