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Paul Munyuki Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE national cricket coach Dav Whatmore is pleading for patience and believes it will take time for the Chevrons to hit the right notes, and start getting the results that the nation demands, after an ODI series whitewash at the hands of India. The hosts slumped to a 0-3 whitewash defeat after crashing to an 83-run loss, with the middle order being exposed badly in the chase, in the Prayag Cup ODI series at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Despite making three changes to the side, the Chevrons showed familiar failings as they slumped to a big defeat.
“The situation with Zimbabwe Cricket is that we did not have as many games and we need a lot of games to improve and get used to such situation more often,” said Whatmore.
“We are now playing more games than we used to and we still have more games before the end of the year so we are looking forward to an interesting year.
“So, please, bear with us, we are working very hard and I’m sure we will get there.
“The reason we dropped Vusimuzi Sibanda was not tactical, but he missed out because of (poor) form,” said Whatmore.
Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura felt his side did not press their advantage when they had India in trouble at 82/4.
“It’s disappointing again, especially with the bat. Other than the first game, we have failed with the bat. It’s frustrating and we need to make use of situations and start winning games. We’ve to play our best cricket and be positive in the T20s.
“We tend to relax especially at the top (batting), maybe it’s because we have not been playing regular games so the more games we get the more we are able to learn from game situations. We got into a good position (bowling) in the morning but we let it go,” said Chigumbura.
Having won the toss, for the third straight game, Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura put his opponents in to bat and with four wickets down, before they reached 100, the hosts looked set to get the face-saving victory they needed after losing the series at the same venue on Sunday.
A 144-run fifth-wicket partnership between Kedar Jadhav, who made a maiden hundred, and Manish Pandey, who made 71 on debut, brought India back from early trouble after they had slumped to 82/4 after 21,4 overs.
And the final 10 overs reaped huge rewards for the tourists who scored more than 100 runs to set a challenging total for their hosts.
Then, the Indians pressed on their advantage with the ball with only opener Chamu Chibhabha, who hit a half century, providing the meaningful resistance.
Stuart Binny’s 3-55 and two wickets a piece for veteran Harbhajan Singh (2-35) and Axar Patel (2-39 off 6,9 overs) destroyed whatever chances Zimbabwe had of overhauling the total.
Chibhabha’s 82 was the highest individual score by the hosts’ batsmen as he continued his good form but he was also disappointed to have perished when he appeared well set to provide the rock on which his team would build their challenge.
A century was there for the taking but Chibhabha perished at a time when Zimbabwe lost wickets in clusters and he knows that he blew it when it mattered most.
On his way to an 82, Chibhabha was dropped on 71 by Vijay off Binny with the first ball of the 35th over but Chibhabha failed to last the distance after failing to capitalise on the Indian error as he only lasted two more overs and added nine runs.
Seamer Neville Madziva got Zimbabwe’s breakthrough when he claimed opener and captain Ajinkya Rahane, when India batted, after the skipper sliced to cover-point where he was caught by Prosper Utseya for 15 in the sixth over.
Madziva struck again when he ended Murali Vijay’s stay for 13 runs, having him caught behind by wicket-keeper Richmond Mutumbami.
India slumped to 82/4 before the destructive partnership of Jadhav and Padney took over and swung the game in favour of the visitors.
Jadhav’s unbeaten 105 came off 87 deliveries with 12 fours and a six while Padnye’s 71 was off 86 balls with four fours and a six.
“The partnership between Manish and Jadhav was crucial for us. I’m very happy for the boys. They were hungry and up for the series,” Rahane said.
“Rayudu got his hundred in the first game, Vijay in the second and Kedar here. The bowlers chipped in as well. Rayudu will be okay and will be back in action. He has been doing well for us and is our crucial member of the team.”
Scorecard
India Innings
Rahane* c Utseya b Madziva 15
Vijay c †Mutumbami b Madziva 13
Uthappa† c Chigumbura b Masakadza 31
Tiwary c & b Utseya 10
Pandey c Sikandar Raza b Chibhabha 71
Jadhav not out 105
Binny not out 18
Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 10, nb 1) 13
Total 276
Did not bat: Harbhajan Singh, AR Patel, B Kumar, MM Sharma
F-o-W: 1-25 (Rahane, 5.5 ov), 2-33 (Vijay, 7.1 ov), 3-68 (Tiwary, 18.2 ov), 4-82 (Uthappa, 21.4 ov), 5-226 (Pandey, 46.5 ov)
Bowling: Tiripano 8-0-46-0(1w); Madziva 9-0-59-2 (1nb, 3w); Chibhabha 8-0-55-1(1w); Masakadza 10-0-31-1; Utseya 10-0-41-1 (1w); Cremer 5-0-42-0(1w).
Zimbabwe Innings
Masakadza lbw b Sharma 7
Chibhabha c Jadhav b Binny 82
Chakabva b Patel 27
Chigumbura* lbw b Vijay 10
Mutumbami† lbw b Binny 22
Sikandar Raza b Harbhajan Singh 13
Waller c Rahane b Binny 5
Cremer c Rahane b Harbhajan Singh 0
Utseya c Uthappa b Sharma 0
Tiripano not out 13
Madziva st †Uthappa b Patel 3
Extras (w 10, nb 1) 11
Total (all out; 42.4 overs) 193
F-o-W: 1-16 (Masakadza, 5.3 ov), 2-86 (Chakabva, 22.1 ov), 3-97 (Chigumbura, 25.1 ov), 4-150 (Mutumbami, 34.6 ov), 5-160 (Chibhabha, 36.2 ov), 6-172 (Sikandar Raza, 37.4 ov), 7-172 (Cremer, 37.5 ov), 8-176 (Waller, 38.5 ov), 9-176 (Utseya, 39.1 ov), 10-193 (Madziva, 42.4 ov)
Bowling: Kumar 6-1-12-0; Sharma 7-0-33-2(2w); Binny 10-1-55-3 (1nb, 1w); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-35-2(1w); Patel 6.4-0-39-2; Vijay 3-0-19-1(2w)
Online Reporter