National cricket team captain Graeme Cremer has hailed Zimbabwe’s latest finds — batsman Ryan Burl and bowler Richard Ngarava — following their debut in the first of five one-day international (ODI) matches against Afghanistan at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
By Munyaradzi Madzokere
Batsman Burl (22), whose impressive figures against Afghanistan A two weeks ago where he struck a century and two half centuries, earned him a call to the senior team, was the second-highest scorer for Zimbabwe with 28 runs.
His wicket, which fell two balls before rain-interrupted play, decided the outcome of the first of the five-match ODI series as the hosts won by 12 runs via the Duckworh-Lewis method.
On the other hand, 19-year-old left arm seamer Ngara grabbed the wicket of Ahmed Shazad five balls into his first ODI.
“The two lads are very promising and I was really impressed. Richy (Ngarava) was very good, he is so young, but he shows that he thinks when he is out there. He is not very raw, maybe he just needs to get a touch fitter and stronger. He obviously has not been around in such a professional set-up for long, but it’s very positive having him,” Cremer said.
“And Ryan [Burls] looked the part out there until he got out. It’s a pity he got out, but he was trying to do the right thing and I was impressed by the way he applied himself.”
If Burl had kept his wicket for two more balls Zimbabwe would have won the match by two runs using the D/L method.
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Zimbabwe are set pick an unchanged team for the second ODI at Harare Sports Club tomorrow against the visitors, who have won in the last four meetings between the two countries in ODI cricket.
