Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo
A RYAN Kamwemba half-century was not enough to see Zimbabwe men’s under-19 team cross the finish line in their 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Under-19 World Cup warm-up match against Ireland in Potchefstroom, South Africa yesterday.
The young Kamwemba fell two runs short of a brilliant ton as Zimbabwe lost by 12 runs. After winning the toss and electing to field first, Zimbabwe bowled out for 263 runs in 49,5 overs before they crumbled to 251 runs all out in 49,3 overs in their chase.
It was Collin Takawria who topped the bowling charts for Zimbabwe in the first innings of the game, finishing with figures of 3/42 in his nine-over spell while Kohl Eksteen, Newman Nyamburi, and the skipper Matthew Schonken took two wickets apiece. The trio, in seven, 9,5 and 10 overs respectively, conceded 37, 53 and 30 runs.
Gavin Roulston top-scored for Ireland with 81 runs.
Zimbabwe’s chase got off to a flying start with a 150-run opening wicket partnership between Kamwemba and Panashe Taruvinga. The latter was run out on 40 runs off 60 balls just after the halfway mark, leaving Zimbabwe in a comfortable position on 152/1. However, the middle order crumbled.
Kamwemba top scored with 98 runs off 113 balls while the skipper, Schonken was the third leading run scorer after Taruvinga on an unbeaten 34 runs from 47 deliveries. Carson Mccullogh finished with figures of 3/37 for Ireland.
Both Ireland and Zimbabwe are using the warm-up matches as preparations for the Under-19 World Cup which gets underway on 19 January. A second warm-up match between the two sides is ongoing at the moment and Zimbabwe is batting first.
After 16 overs, Zimbabwe is on 92/4 having won the toss and elected to bat first. They have lost the wickets of Kamwemba (zero off two), Campbell Macmillan (15 off 13), Ronak Patel (zero off four) and Eksteen (33 off 19).
– @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter