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THE Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket team suffered a 109-runs defeat to Afghanistan and missed the chance to qualify to the Super League of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in the West Indies at the weekend.
Good bowling by Alex Falao and a fifty from Matthew Welch were not enough to save the side at Diego Martin Sports Complex in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Afghans had the good fortune to win the toss and bat first.
They made a slow start, thanks to their opener Bilal Sayedi taking 29 balls to score two runs.
However, his partner Nangeyalika Kharote was much more aggressive, and ran to a good 50 off 45 balls — both these batters were dismissed by Falao.
At 90 for three after 21 overs, the match was still well balanced, but then the Afghan captain, Suliman Safi, took over.
He took the Zimbabwe Under-19s bowling apart in a superb century, making altogether 111 runs off 118 balls, with three sixes and 14 fours.
Safi was given good support by Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai (21) and Mohammad Ishaq (39), and was finally caught at the wicket off the final delivery of the innings, Falao again being the bowler.
Falao, who now has a total eight wickets at the tournament, took three for 54 runs in his 10 overs, while Ngenyasha Zvinoera claimed two for 58.
Most remarkable, though, was the bowling of Tendekai Mataranyika, whose 10 overs cost only 25 runs, without taking a wicket.
The final score of 261 for six wickets gave the Zimbabweans a difficult target to chase down.
However, Welch gave them a very good start, taking on the bowlers and playing his strokes, the opening partnership putting on 49 runs in less than 10 overs, while Steven Saul scored nine.
However, Welch received little support from the middle order, and when his fine innings of 53 (61 balls and nine fours) came to an end, the score was 79 for four in the 19th over.
The middle order for the most part just fell to pieces against the bowling of Kharote, and eight wickets were down for 118 runs before 30 overs were completed.
Later on Rogan Wolhuter fought hard to score 28 not out from 52 balls as the tail also failed to give him support.
The only other batter to reach double figures was Brian Bennett with 14, and the final total was only 152.
Kharote bowled with great success to take four wickets for 30 runs in his 10 overs.
Scorecard: Afghanistan Under-19s won by 109 runs
Afghanistan Under-19s – 261-6 in 50 overs (Suliman Safi 111, Nangeyalia Kharote 50, Mohammad Ishaq 39; Alex Falao 3/54, Ngenyasha Zvinoera 2/58, Mcgini Dube 1/51)
Zimbabwe Under-19s – 152 all out in 36.4 overs (Matthew Welch 53, Rogan Wolhuter 28*, Brian Bennett 14; Nangeyalia Kharote 4/30, Izharulhaq Naveed 2/28, Shahidullah Hasani 2/28) — Sports Reporter/Zim Cricket.
Online Reporter