Online Reporter
Lawrence Moyo
THE national Under-19 cricket team moved a step closer to a series sweep after beating Ireland by six wickets with 25 balls to spare in the fourth Youth One-Day International at Takashinga Cricket Club yesterday.
Zimbabwe, who made 243/4 in reply to Ireland’s defiant 241/6, now lead the five-match YODI series 4-0 ahead of the final match at the same venue tomorrow.
Half centuries by opener Leeroy Chiwaula (77 from 99 balls) and all-rounder Michael Blignaut (60 not out from 58 balls) guided Zimbabwe to the victory target in the 46th over while Brendon Senzere (38 from 28 balls and captain Simbarashe Mudzengere (37 from 55) weighed in with useful knocks.
Player-of-the-match Chiwaula featured in a 31-run opening stand with Rowyn Konson and then 83-run partnership for the second wicket with Mudzengerere.
When Chiwaula fell in the 33rd over, Zimbabwe were 143/3 and that’s when Blignaut and Senzere restored Zimbabwe’s dominance with a brisk 81 runs off 65 balls for the fourth wicket.
Senzere was run out with Zimbabwe still needing 19 runs for victory, which was secured through Blignaut and Samuel Muyambo’s unbeaten stand off 12 balls.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Simbarashe Mudzengere opted to field and the decision was seemingly rewarded as Ireland were 91-4 when Robert O Brien fell for 25 after 23.3 overs.
However, the Irish hit back with a century partnership for the fifth wicket with Sebastian Dijkstra and Adam Leckey making 138 runs in 24.4 overs and by the time Dijkstra fell for 62 off 78 balls with 11 balls remaining.
At that stage, Ireland had recovered remarkably and even the departure of topscorer Leckey for 88 from 86 balls off the last ball of the innings was insignificant. A score of 241/6 was competitive enough under the circumstances.
Worrying for Zimbabwe is that bowling extras had the joint third-highest contribution to the Irish batting with 13 wides topping the list, 10 of them from left-arm medium pacer Marshall Mashava.
The six wickets to fall were claimed by different bowlers as Zimbabwe used as many as eight, probably trying to break the fifth wicket partnership that consumed half of the innings.
Mudzengerere and Brendon Senzere were the only ones to bowl 10 overs with the captain leading the way with one wicket for 28 in a spell that included three maiden overs.
Senzere also claimed a wicket while his 10 overs went for 48 runs.
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