Newman Nyamhuri produced a superb all-round display to inspire Zimbabwe to a remarkable 25-run victory over Bangladesh in the first One-Day International at Harare Sports Club on Monday.
The 20-year-old first rescued Zimbabwe with a career-best 33 from number nine, sharing a priceless 63-run ninth-wicket partnership with captain Richard Ngarava after the hosts had slumped to 70 for eight, lifting the total to 141.
He then excelled in the field with two outstanding catches – including an athletic effort on the fine-leg boundary – before claiming two wickets, one of them breaking Bangladesh’s only substantial partnership, as Zimbabwe dismissed the visitors for 116 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bangladesh won the toss on a cold, overcast morning and elected to field.
Brian Bennett and Ben Curran opened with a stand of 36 before disaster struck.
Curran, on 18, attempted a single off a no-ball from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, whose direct hit at the bowler’s end caught him just short of his ground.
Two balls later Bennett, on 17, slashed Taskin Ahmed straight to backward point, before Craig Ervine was bowled first ball by the same bowler, leaving Zimbabwe at 39 for three in the ninth over.
The new pair of Innocent Kaia and Sikandar Raza had to proceed cautiously, but Raza, after facing 11 balls for a single, lashed at a short, wide delivery from Nahid Rana and edged behind to the wicketkeeper, making it 45 for four.
Before he could get off the mark, Wessly Madhevere edged Rana to second slip, leaving Zimbabwe on 47 for five.
Clive Madande was next to depart, slicing an attempted drive off Rana straight to backward point for two as Zimbabwe slipped to 52 for six.
Kaia remained at the crease and looked to shift the momentum, first gaining a fortunate boundary over the slips before striking a beautifully timed six over mid-on off Soumya Sarkar.
However, in the next over he edged Rana behind after making 26 from 39 balls.
Zimbabwe were now 69 for seven.
Four balls later Rana claimed his fifth wicket when Brad Evans was trapped lbw for three by a delivery that nipped back sharply, reducing Zimbabwe to 70 for eight.
Nyamhuri and Ngarava then mounted a spirited fightback.
They added a priceless 63 runs before Rana, returning for a final spell, fired in a yorker that beat Ngarava for pace and bowled him for 27 from 41 balls.
Blessing Muzarabani joined Nyamhuri, and another eight runs were added before the youngster was finally dismissed, skying a slog off Miraz to square leg after making 33 from 51 balls.
Zimbabwe were all out for 141 in 36.4 overs, with Nyamhuri and Ngarava finishing as the top scorers.
Rana returned outstanding figures of six for 21 from his 10 overs.
Zimbabwe’s total of 141 appeared modest, but the hosts’ pace attack had other ideas.
Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar collected seven runs from Ngarava’s opening over, while Muzarabani’s first delivery was driven for four.
However, three balls later Nyamhuri, stationed at fine leg, produced a superb running catch to dismiss Tanzid for eight.
Muzarabani struck again in his next over when Najmul Hossain Shanto (3) slashed at a delivery outside off stump and lofted it to deep third, where Curran completed the catch to leave Bangladesh 17 for two.
Before another run was added, Soumya (6) departed in similar fashion, slashing Ngarava to deep third where Nyamhuri held his second catch, making it 17 for three in the fifth over.
Towhid Hridoy and Nurul Hasan then steadied the innings, although Nurul briefly broke the shackles by pulling a short ball from Evans over square leg for six.
With little scoreboard pressure, the pair settled into steady accumulation until the 19th over, when another catch at third man broke the partnership.
Hridoy slashed at a short delivery from Nyamhuri and Curran did well to hold a catch, ending his innings for 25 from 58 balls with Bangladesh on 66 for four.
It proved to be the only significant partnership of the innings.
Four runs later Zimbabwe tightened their grip as Mosaddek Hossain (3) chased a delivery outside off stump from Nyamhuri and edged behind to Madande, leaving Bangladesh on 70 for five.
At 89 Miraz, who had made 10, became the next batter to fall, slashing towards point where Bennett sprinted in to complete an excellent diving catch.
Zimbabwe struck another decisive blow at 98 when Nurul Hasan was beaten and trapped lbw by Evans for 31.
The first ball after the drinks interval produced the eighth wicket as Rishad Hossain guided Evans low to Raza at slip with the score on 99.
The ninth wicket added only six runs before Taskin (5) miscued an attempted hit over cow corner off Evans and sliced a catch to Bennett in the covers.
Mustafizur Rahman and Rana added a brief last-wicket stand, but the innings ended on 116 when Mustafizur attempted to hit Ngarava back over his head and skied a catch to Muzarabani.
Both batters made five, with Rana finishing unbeaten.
Zimbabwe had completed a memorable victory.
Ngarava relied exclusively on his four pace bowlers throughout Bangladesh’s 33.1 overs.
Evans finished with three wickets, Ngarava claimed three, while Muzarabani and Nyamhuri took two apiece as Zimbabwe sealed an outstanding comeback victory.
Share Your Comments