PERTH, Oct 1: Captain Heath Streak grabbed four wickets to set up a confidence-boosting victory for Zimbabwe by seven wickets over a Cricket Australia Chairman’s XI here on Wednesday.
Streak took four for 32 in 9.5 overs as Zimbabwe, who play two Tests against Australia later this month, bowled out their hosts for 240.
Ryan Campbell top-scored with 65 and Brad Hogg made 38 but Test regulars Justin Langer (27) and Damien Martyn (31) failed to capitalise on bright starts.
Zimbabwe then raced to the victory target with 52 balls to spare, with Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart each scoring half-centuries.
Vermuelen scored a run-a-ball 61 before Carlisle (89 not out) and Wishart (63 not out) shared an unbroken stand of 137 for the fourth wicket, the tourists finishing on 241 for three in 41.2 overs.
“Hopefully we can continue to improve on this tour, because it is going to be hard work against the Aussies,” an upbeat Streak told reporters.
Scoreboard
CA CHAIRMAN’S XI:
A.C. Gilchrist b Streak 2
D.R. Martyn c Evans b Blignaut 31
J.L. Langer run out 27
S. Marsh c Ebrahim b Streak 0
G.R. Marsh c Wishart b Mahwire 27
R.J. Campbell run out 65
G.B. Hogg c Taibu b Blignaut 38
M.E.K. Hussey b Blignaut 20
P. Worthington b Streak 12
J. Angel b Streak 2
B.A. Williams not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-11, NB-2) 15
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 240
FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-35, 3-36, 4-84, 5-117, 6-190, 7-216, 8-237, 9-239.
BOWLING: Streak 9.5-0-32-4 (2w); Ervine 6-0-59-0 (3w); Blignaut 10-0-47-3 (3w); Mahwire 4-0-19-1 (2nb, 3w); Price 10-1-21-0; Gripper 10-0-60-0.
ZIMBABWE:
D.D. Ebrahim c Gilchrist b Williams 6
T.R. Gripper b Angel 2
M.A. Vermeulen c Hogg b Worthington 61
S.V. Carlisle not out 89
C.B. Wishart not out 63
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-13, NB-2) 20
TOTAL (for three wkts, 41.2 overs) 241
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-26, 3-104.
DID NOT BAT: C.N. Evans, T. Taibu, S.M. Ervine, A.M. Blignaut, H.H. Streak, R.W. Price, N. Mahwire.
BOWLING: Williams 9-1-33-1 (4w); Angel 7-0-45-1 (4w); Miller 9-0-69-0 (4w); Worthington 7-1-35-1 (2nb); Hogg 7-1-31-0; S. Marsh 2-0-21-0 (1w); Hussey 0.2-0-2-0.
RESULT: Zimbabwe won by seven wickets.—Reuters