adminJeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
HONG Kong’s Mark Chapman scored a blistering unbeaten 53 off 33 balls to upset a more experienced Zimbabwe with a four wicket victory, which went down to the last balls in a ICC World Twenty20 Cup warm-up match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.
Batting in Chittagong is always a nightmare for touring teams, wisely, Hong Kong sent Zimbabwe to bat on a harsh slow and rough turning wicket and Brendan Taylor’s men laboured to reach 153 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
In a neck to neck chase, Chapman hit Tendai Chatara for a six on the final ball of the innings when the teams were tied at 153 and the Asians finished with 159 6.
Hong Kong gave Zimbabwe a run for their money early at the start of the match with Hamilton Masakadza (1) being caught behind in the second over before Brendan Taylor (17) and Sikander Raza (32) formed a 42-run partnership for the second wicket.
By the mid innings Zimbabwe was stumbling with five wickets down and just 76 runs on the board.
Vusi Sibanda came in lower down the order as the saving grace, aggressively hitting two six and fours from Nizakat Khan for his quick fire 31 from 22 balls, but he was untimely caught behind.
Elton Chigumbura followed with blazing guns in his quick fire knock of 45 runs from 22 deliveries which powered Zimbabwe to a more respectable total, he was supported by Timycen Maruma (19) in a desperate rescue in hindsight of a slow run rate.
Zimbabwe were seemingly in control of the situation removing the top order, in identical fashion, as Hong Kong were 47 7 in the ninth over.
Prosper Utseya had come in as the first bowling change bowling through his four overs in which he took three wickets for 19 runs. No other bowler could maintain a similar tight lid on the Asians and Zimbabwe was found wanting.
Chapman turned things when he got in at sixth as he stabilised the innings by batting through the remaining overs patiently and then exploding in the very last over.
He paired up with Tanwir Afzal for an unbeaten 70-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Afzal finished with an unbeaten 37 from 21 balls while Chapman’s 53 featured three sixes and four boundaries. Zimbabwe have a chance to salvage some pride when they play Afghanistan in the second and final warm-up match tomorrow.
Online Reporter