PERTH, Oct 5: Zimbabwe held on for a thrilling draw in their three-day tour match on Sunday after Western Australia scored 266 for four chasing 270 to win.
Western Australia began their run chase aggressively with opener Mike Hussey and wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell, promoted to number three, putting on 128 for the second wicket.
Hussey smashed 79 from 79 balls and Campbell hit 59 from 57 balls, but Marcus North (31 not out) and Shaun Marsh (six not out) could manage only 11 runs from the 38th and final over in a tense finish.
All-rounder Peter Worthington also clubbed 45 off 27 balls for Western Australia as Zimbabwe’s bowlers gave up seven runs per over.
Western Australia captain Hussey had declared on his team’s overnight score of 207 for six, still trailing Zimbabwe by 123 runs on the first innings at the WACA Ground in Perth.
Trevor Gripper took advantage of the second opportunity to bat at the WACA before the first Test against Australia starting there on Thursday by scoring 54 before captain Heath Streak declared at 146 for six.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE (1st Innings) 330 (C.B. Wishart 100, A.M. Blignaut 57).
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):
M.E.K. Hussey lbw b Streak 15
C.J.L. Rogers c sub b Streak 20
M.J. North c Taibu b Blignaut 59
S.E. Marsh c Blignaut b Streak 5
S.W. Meuleman run out 47
R.J. Campbell c Taibu b Blignaut 0
P.C. Worthington not out 30
B. Casson not out 7
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-6, NB-11) 24
TOTAL (for six dec, 61 overs) 207
FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-60, 3-68, 4-156, 5-156, 6-156.
BOWLING: Streak 14-4-35-3; Blignaut 12-1-63-2 (9nb, 6w); Ervine 15-3-36-0 (2nb); Evans 2-0-12-0; Price 1-0-12-0; Gripper 17-4-42-0.
ZIMBABWE (2nd Innings):
D.D. Ebrahim c Taibu b Wates 6
T.R. Gripper c Campbell b Wilson 54
M.A. Vermeulen run out 30
S.V. Carlisle c Campbell b Wilson 9
C.N. Evans c Rogers b Wates 17
T. Taibu b Wilson 0
S.M. Ervine not out 15
C.B. Wishart not out 11
EXTRAS (LB-4) 4
TOTAL (for six dec, 49.4 overs) 146
FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-78, 3-98, 4-105, 5-111, 6-124.
BOWLING: Wilson 14-6-26-3; Wates 10-1-53-2; Angel 8-4-10-0; Worthington 5-1-21-0; Casson 12.4-4-32-0.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings):
C.J.L. Rogers c Vermeulen b Blignaut 26
M.E.K. Hussey c Ervine b Gripper 79
R.J. Campbell st Taibu b Gripper 59
P.C. Worthington c Carlisle b Ervine 45
M.J. North not out 31
S.E. Marsh not out 6
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-8, NB-9) 20
TOTAL (for four wkts, 38 overs) 266
FALL OF WKTS: 1-32, 2-160, 3-210, 4-240.
BOWLING: Streak 13-0-81-0 (4nb); Blignaut 9-0-60-1 (3nb); Ervine 9-0-57-1 (1nb); Gripper 7-0-57-2 (1nb).
RESULT: Match drawn.
UMPIRES: B. Bennett and I.H. Lock.—Reuters/AFP