It wasn’t a mere fluke as Zimbabwe, ‘the underdogs’ dictated the entire game to stun the cricketing world with a remarkable five-wicket victory against powerhouse and favorites, Australia at Cape Town. Bowling perceptively backed up by energetic fielding Zimbabwe restricted Australia to 138-9. From virtually the moment deciding to bat Australia got into a mess as Matthew Hayden thumped the second ball for four but he edged the fifth behind. By the end of the fourth over Australia were 19 for three with Adam Gilchrist the glorious centurion in his last match which had been the World Cup final, along with the skipper got out cheaply. Zimbabwe kept holding crucial catches but the Aussies had the world’s leading Twenty20 run-scorer Brad Hodge to thank of, for their modest total who scored 35 not out off 22 balls. Meanwhile, medium-pacers Gary Brent and Elton Chigumbura shared five wickets to limit the World Champs.
The chase began with Vusimusi Sibanda and Taylor putting on 31 in 23 balls. Beginning to lose their way Zimbabwe at one stage were 77-4 in the 12th over, but a rain interruption proved a blessing in disguise that worked in their favor. Their opener and hero Brendon Taylor, who has had several disciplinary spats with Zimbabwe’s cricket authorities played overwhelming shots to finish with 60 not out from 45 balls. Two straight sixes in the 15th over after Ponting had gambled upon Hodge’s part-time off-spin turned the match. It all wrapped up with one ball to spare.
Skipper Ponting confessed and said:
We have been outplayed. Our top-order batting has been diabolical even in the practice matches and it was again tonight. It is a mental thing for us and we have to start respecting the game.
Perhaps it’s an embarrassing start for the team as well for the newly appointed Aussie coach Tim Nielsen, whose side was 50-1 on favorites. For Zimbabwe, whose Test status is in abeyance and who are living a hand-to-mouth existence as the economy verges on collapse, recalled memories of 1983, when Zimbabwe’s first official international brought them a 13-run World Cup victory against Australia.
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Via: BBC
