Match summary: Zimbabwe 211 for 3 (Bennett 91, Marumamani 62, Alexander Busing-Volschenk 2/43) beat Namibia 178 for 7 (Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 38, Sikandar Raza 2/31) by 33 runs
ZIMBABWE took a 1-0 lead following a 33-run victory against Namibia in the first T20I match played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.
This was thanks to a century-long opening partnership between half-centurions Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani.
The visitors elected to field first after winning the toss, but the call did not dent Zimbabwe’s spirits.
They were geared for a showtime on the crease.
Bennett top-scored with 94 from 51 balls, hitting eight boundaries and four maximums, and put up a 124-run partnership with Marumani.
A left-handed batsman, Marumani scored 62 runs from 48 balls, including six fours and two sixes.
After Marumani’s dismissal in the 14.1 overs, Zimbabwe made a tactical change, promoting Ryan Burl up the order at three ahead of Brendan Taylor.
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Burl did just what he was sent in to do, scoring 22 from nine deliveries with two fours and two sixes.
His departure after 16.4 overs left Zimbabwe at 165/2.
Skipper Sikandar Raza then joined Bennett, watching the latter’s textbook shots from the non-striker’s end.
Bennett’s innings lasted until he scored 94, leaving Raza on 23 not out from 11 balls and Tashinga Musekiwa with an undefeated run-a-ball single to finish off the allotted overs.
Zimbabwe totalled 211/3.
While Namibia provided glimpses of brilliance, they flattered to deceive and were eventually bowled out for 178/7.
Raza and seamer Blessing Muzarabani picked two wickets each, conceding 31 and 38 runs, respectively, from their four-over spells.
Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava grabbed a wicket each.
Namibia’s top scorers were Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton with 38 (24), Zane Green with 33, and Gerhard Erasmus with 26.
Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers, taking two wickets for 43 runs from four overs, while Ruben Trumplemann took one wicket.
The second match is scheduled for this afternoon at 1:30pm, with contrasting fortunes for both teams.
The hosts are looking to bag the series with a match to spare, while the visitors want to level the series and force a decider on Thursday.
