Narrow win for Zimbabwe after Brad Evans final over heroics

WINDHOEK (Agencies): Zimbabwe took four wickets in the final over to secure a narrow five-run victory over hosts Namibia on Monday in the third match of the Twenty20 tri-series also involving South Africa. Brad Evans finished with 3-41 as Namibia fell short of the target, chasing Zimbabwe’s 195-6 but being bowled out for 190 with the last ball of a high-scoring contest at the Namibia Cricket Ground. Zimbabwe were put in to bat and started brightly with openers Ben Curran (38) and Brian Ben­nett (32) both getting among the runs, but they lost five wickets for 15 runs in a four-over spell in the middle of their innings. An unbeaten 94-run partnership in 48 balls between Ryan Burl (57 not out) and Evans (37 not out) then saw Zimbabwe climb to an imposing 195-6 off their 20 overs. They looked to be well in command as Nam­ibia slumped to 68-5 in the 11th over, but the hosts fought back with Zane Green and Alexander Busing-Volschenk smashing runs in 51 balls. Namibia needed 16 runs in the last over, but first Green was run out by a direct throw from deep for 54 and two balls later Busing-Volschenk (56) was caught behind off Evans with a flying catch from wicket-keeper Tadiwanashe Marumani, ending home hopes. Zimbabwe are back in action on Tuesday against South Africa. All three countries have one win under their belts after two games each and play each other twice with the top two finishers contesting a final at the weekend.

SCOREBOARD

ZIMBABWE:

Curran c Brassell b Heingo 38

Bennett c Frylinck b Smit 32

Myers b Scholtz 2

Raza c Frylinck b Erasmus 0

Burl not out 57

Madhevere c Smit b Erasmus 2

Marumani c Frylinck b Erasmus 18

Evans not out 37

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-5) 9

TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs) 195

DID NOT BAT: N. Nyamhuri, W. Masakadza, B. Muzarabani

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-64 (Bennett), 2-69 (Myers), 3-72 (Raza), 4-76 (Curran), 5-79 (Madhevere), 6-101 (Marumani)

BOWLING: Scholtz 3-0-27-1, Trumpelmann 4-0-38-0 (3w), Smit 2-0-27-1, Brassell 3-0-28-0, Erasmus 4-0-46-3 (2w), Heingo 4-0-25-1

NAMIBIA:

Steenkamp c Madhevere b M’rabani 6

Frylinck c Curran b Masakadza 22

Erasmus c Bennett b Evans 12

N. Loftie-Eaton lbw b Bennett 20

JJ Smit c Burl b Bennett 6

Trumpelmann c Curran b Raza 8

Green run out 54

Busing-Volschenk c Marumani b Evans 56

Scholtz run out 0

Brassell b Evans 0

Heingo not out 0

EXTRAS (NB-2, W-4) 6

TOTAL (all out, 20 overs) 190

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-14 (Steenkamp), 2-28 (Erasmus), 3-60 (Loftie-Eaton), 4-66 (Smit), 5-68 (Frylinck), 6-76 (Trumpelmann), 7-186 (Green), 8-190 (Busing-Volschenk), 9-190 (Scholtz)

BOWLING: Muzarabani 4-0-39-1 (2w, 1nb), Nyamhuri 4-0-37-0, Evans 4-0-41-3 (1nb), Raza 4-0-31-1 (1w), Madhevere 1-0-9-0, Bennett 1-0-8-2, Masakadza 2-0-25-1 (1w)

RESULT: Zimbabwe won by five runs.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Brad Evans.