adminIRELAND secured a draw without too much trouble on the final day of their four-day match against Zimbabwe A after their sixth-wicket pair of Kevin O’Brien and John Mooney played out the final session of the match at Harare Sports Club. Zimbabwe A began the day on 320-6, a lead of 359, and decided to bat on.
Roy Kaia and Trevor Garwe added 26 in four overs to finish with 18 and 29 not out respectively, and two overs were lost for the change of innings. Kevin O’Brien was the best bowler for Ireland in this innings, taking two wickets for 34.
It was basically a timid declaration, as the overnight lead was already virtually out of Ireland’s reach and the main question should have been whether Zimbabwe A had enough time to bowl them out in their second innings on a pitch giving the bowlers little help apart from uneven bounce.
Paul Stirling was suffering from a slight leg strain so Niall O’Brien opened the Ireland innings with Stuart Poynter, the century-maker of the first innings.
In the second over, bowled by Garwe, Poynter was dropped by Hamilton Masakadza at first slip, but fortunately for the home team and the fielder, he did not last much longer.
He groped outside to off stump to a ball from Vitori and was caught at the wicket for 7.
O’Brien and Andy Balbirnie then shared a useful partnership, taking the score to 51 before Tatenda Mupunga produced a fine delivery that came back into Balbirnie and shattered his stumps for 17.
Ireland went in to lunch at 67 for two wickets.
It was always clear that Ireland were never going to make an attempt at their target and were concentrating on a draw, their only realistic option.
Zimbabwe A– 392and 346 for 6 declared (Malcolm Waller 118, Regis Chakabva 101;Kevin O’Brien 2/34, George Dockrell 2/75)
Ireland – 353 and 271 for 5in 81.5 overs (John Mooney 65, Kevin O’Brien 56; Brian Vitori 2/51, Tatenda Mupunga 2/52)
Match drawn — zimcricket
Online Reporter