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Australia suffer historic three-wicket loss to Zimbabwe in tri-series shock

September 1, 2014

Zimbabwe historic

Sep 1: Australia have suffered a shambolic defeat at the hands of cricket minnows Zimbabwe in front of a rocking crowd at Harare Sports Club.

The No.10-ranked African nation exposed Australia for their poor batting, lack of spin options and mistakes in the field in a fairy tale three-wicket triumph.

It's just Zimbabwe's second ever win against Australia in ODI cricket - the last time it happened was at the 1983 World Cup.

When No.9 batsman Prosper Utseya brought up the winning runs with a towering six with 12 balls remaining, teammates flooded the pitch in celebration.

The embarrassing result for the world No.1 Australians means they aren't yet assured of qualifying for Saturday's tri-series final against South Africa.

Only three Australian batsmen made it past 20, with skipper Michael Clarke's courageous 68 not out despite aggravating a hamstring injury about all that held the total of 9-209 together - a record low score against battlers Zimbabwe.

After bucking the trend so far this tri-series and electing to bat first, Australia couldn't cope with Zimbabwe's spin battalion who combined to take 6-117 from 36 overs on a raging turner.

In response, Australia were under-equipped for the conditions, with not enough support for Nathan Lyon (4-44 from 10) in the spin department.

Zimbabwean captain Elton Chigumbura's unbeaten 52 led his team to one of their greatest wins.

Needing 44 off 60 with three wickets in hand, Zimbabwe were given the life they needed two overs later when Chigumbura survived a running mix-up thanks to an off throw from Mitchell Starc at mid-on.

Starc (2-41) and James Faulkner cracked under pressure with wides and no balls at the death and Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya (30no) combined for the final 55 runs.

Clarke re-aggravated his hamstring when on 62 and, after getting to the point where he could barely hobble between wickets, retired hurt.

The captain will now fly back to Australia for treatment and is a serious doubt for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.

But in another display of grit under pressure - he returned to the non-striker's end for the final two balls of the innings and then remarkably came onto field midway through the Zimbabwe innings when Australia were floundering.

He even bowled the 47th over with Zimbabwe needing 11 to win.

A fired-up and focused Clarke was dissatisfied with his team's intensity in the field after 18 overs and came from the dressing rooms barking instructions and pointing figures.

Clarke's presence had an almost immediate impact, with Zimbabwe slipping from a stronghold at 2-100 to the wobbles at 5-106.

But Australia's decision not to pick a second recognised spinner for the tour has been shown up to be a mistake - with nothing in the Harare deck for the bevy of seam bowlers.

Selectors also erred in leaving Test batsman and capable part-timer Steve Smith out of the XI on Sunday, with Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch going for plenty.

Mitchell Johnson's vicious pace could also have been handy, but he was rested.

Finch's left-arm offspin was blasted for 16 runs in the 17th over with Brendan Taylor (32) leading the way in the chase.

Australia must beat South Africa in their final pool match on Tuesday, or rely on Zimbabwe not sneaking a bonus point win over the Proteas on Thursday to ensure their place in the final.

Aaron Finch (11), Phil Hughes (10), George Bailey (1), Glenn Maxwell (13) and Mitchell Marsh (15) all departed cheaply to make it 5-97 after 29 overs.

Australia

A. Finch b Nyumbu 11

P. Hughes c Nyumbu b Utseya 10

M. Clarke not out 68

G. Bailey b Williams 1

G. Maxwell b Waller 13

M. Marsh c Utseya b Tiripano 15

B. Haddin c Waller b Tiripano 49

J. Faulkner c Nyumbu b Utseya 0

M. Starc b Williams 3

B. Cutting run out 26

N. Lyon not out 8

Sundries (2lb, 3w) 5

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 209

Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Finch), 2-38 (Hughes), 3-39 (Bailey), 4-57 (Maxwell), 5-97 (Marsh), 5-147 (Clarke, retired not out), 6-147 (Faulkner), 7-150 (Starc), 8-201 (Cutting), 9-202 (Haddin).

Bowling: Chatara 8-0-56-0, Nyumbu 10-1-30-1, Utseya 10-0-45-2, Tiripano 6-1-34-2, Williams 10-2-21-2, Waller 6-0-21-1.

Zimbabwe

T. Mawoyo b Lyon 15

Sikandar Raza c sub (Smith) b Lyon 22

H. Masakadza b Starc 18

B. Taylor b Lyon 32

M. Waller c & b Maxwell 11

S. Williams c Clarke b Lyon 4

E. Chigumbura not out 52

D. Tiripano b Starc 3

P. Utseya not out 30

Sundries (2b, 3lb, 18w, 1nb) 24

Total (7 wkts, 48 overs) 211

Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Sikandar Raza), 2-44 (Mawoyo), 3-100 (Masakadza), 4-102 (Taylor), 5-106 (Williams), 6-142 (Waller), 7-156 (Tiripano).

Bowling: Starc 10-3-41-2, Marsh 4-2-13-0, Cutting 6-0-18-0, Faulkner 7-0-28-0, Lyon 10-1-44-4, Finch 2-0-19-0, Maxwell 8-0-41-1, Clarke 1-0-2-0.

Result: Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets.

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Agencies
May 31,2020

London, May 31: "Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli," replied umpire Ian Gould when he was asked to name the three best batsmen he loved watching when he was officiating as an umpire.

The former ICC elite umpire said that he was unlucky to not watch Ponting bat as much as he would have liked to.

"Jacques Kallis. I loved watching Jacques. He was a very, very fine player. Sachin. And probably Virat. I was unlucky in some respects. I didn't see the best of Ricky Ponting. He was an outstanding character, outstanding captain, such a proud Australian," ESPNCricinfo quoted Gould as saying.

"But his career was just starting to wane as I came on the scene. But he was incredibly helpful, so I'm disappointed I have to leave him out. Jacques Kallis, I could sit and watch all day, Virat, the same. And Sachin, if you want someone to bat for your life, he was the man," he added.

Gould had retired from the ICC's panel of elite umpires in 2019, after standing in more than 250 international matches over a 13-year career.

Over the years, comparisons between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have been growing and many have picked the current Indian skipper to break the records set by Tendulkar.

Tendulkar called time on his career after registering 100 international centuries, while Kohli has 70 centuries across all formats.

While, Kallis played 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20Is for South Africa and he is often viewed as the greatest all-rounder the game has seen.

Many pundits of the game find it hard to pick between him and Sir Garfield Sobers.

Across his career, Kallis scored 25,534 runs in his career and he also managed to take 577 wickets.

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News Network
May 21,2020

Mumbai, May 21: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has chosen legendary Sachin Tendulkar over current skipper Virat Kohli as a better batsman in the ODI format, considering the changed rules of the game and the Mumbaikar's longevity of career.

Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, played 463 ODIs and amassed 18, 426 runs with 49 hundreds at an average of 44.83.

Kohli, on the other hand, has played 248 ODIs and scored 11, 867 runs with 43 tons at an average of 59.33.

"Sachin Tendulkar, because probably with one white ball and four fielders inside the circle, not five fielders outside, it will be Sachin Tendulkar for me," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

Nowadays, a one-day innings is played with two white balls and with three powerplays.

In the first power play (overs 1-10), two fielders are allowed beyond the 30-yard circle, while in the second powerplay (overs 10-40) four fielders are allowed. In the last powerplay (overs 40-50), five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Gambhir, who was the star performer in 2011 ODI World Cup final which India won, feels that the change in rules has helped batsmen.

"It's difficult because Virat Kohli has done phenomenally well but I think the rules have changed as well, which has helped a lot of new batters," elaborated Gambhir, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs.

"The new generation, with 2 new balls, no reverse swing, nothing for the finger spin, five fielders inside for the 50 overs, probably that makes batting much easier.

He said he would also go with Tendulkar, considering his longevity and flow of the ODI cricket format at that time.

"Probably I’ll go with Sachin Tendulkar if we see the longevity and flow of the one-day cricket format.

"Look at how Sachin Tendulkar has played, different rules, that time 230 to 240, was a winning total," Gambhir signed off. 

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News Network
June 13,2020

Mumbai, Jun 13: Vasant Raiji, who was India's oldest first-class cricketer at 100, died in Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday.

Raiji was 100 years old and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

"He (Raiji) passed away at 2.20 am in his sleep at his residence in Walkeshwar in South Mumbai due to old-age," his son-in-law Sudarshan Nanavati told PTI.

Raiji, a right-handed batsman, played nine first-class matches in the 1940s, scoring 277 runs with 68 being his highest score.

He made his debut for a Cricket Club of India team that played Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939.

His Mumbai debut happened in 1941 when the team played Western India under the leadership of Vijay Merchant.

Raiji, also a cricket historian and chartered accountant, was 13 when India played its first Test match at the Bombay Gymkhana in South Mumbai.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and former Australian skipper Steve Waugh had paid a courtesy visit to Raiji at his residence in January when he had turned 100.

It has been learnt that the cremation will take place at the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Mumbai on Saturday afternoon.

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