Vusi Sibanda scored 147
runs as Zimbabweans beat University of West Indies Vice Chancellor's XI by 76
runs in a tour game in St Andrews, Grenada on yesterday. Zimbabwe are in the
West Indies for a moth long tour that has five ODIs, two Twenty 20 and two Test
matches scheduled to begin this Friday. Sibanda’s century was comprised of 13
fours and two sixes and lasted 114 balls.
The Zimbabwean innings was
dominated by two, hundred-run partnerships between top order batsmen Tino
Mawoyo and Sibanda and, later, Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza.
Masakadza shed some some
bad form to score an aggressive 56 off 42 balls, including six fours and two
sixes. Sibanda eventually retired hurt for 147, but his knock had given the
side a platform for a big score. A late flourish from Regis Chakabva, who
struck 41 off just 20 balls, took Zimbabweans to 346.
The hosts were off to a
dismal start, losing both their openers to Kyle Jarvis' pace with just six runs
on the board. Wicketkeeper Shai Hope and Ramnaresh Sarwan then steadied the
innings with a partnership worth 75 runs.
Sarwan remained steady
after Hope's dismissal, as his 90 runs off 72 balls went some way to helping
him regain form ahead of the ODI series. He added 104 runs with Chaim Holder,
and the University XI would have fancied their chances.
However, once Sarwan was
out, the hosts began to flounder. A 54-run, tenth wicket partnership between
Dawayne Sealy and Michael Bedward pushed the University XI's total past 250,
but the Zimbabweans were able to dismiss the team for 270.
MEANWHILE team manager and
media liaison for the Zimbabwe team told OFF THE CREASE in an interview that
the team had arrived safely and were now looking ahead to the first ODI. “We
arrived well and everyone is ok. The team played well as the coaches had wanted
them to get some time out in the middle. Beating the chancellors’ XI was a
boast to the team and l must say Sibanda played exceptionally well. We are now
awaiting and looking forward to the official kick start of the tour tomorrow”
he said.
Brendon Taylor who arrived
on Wednesday in Grenada is said to be well and getting fit as he had an extra
session with assistant coach Steve Mangongo. “Taylor arrived yesterday morning
(Wednesday) and he is fit and ready for the games, he arrived early for
training today (Thursday) for an extra session with Steve. Ican confirm that he
is fit and well” Banda added.
Zimbabwe plays tomorrow against the West Indies in Grenada in the first match of the five game Digicel One Day International Series.
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