da premier bet： Zimbabwe arrived here with the aim of proving their competitiveness atthis level, but a West Indies side operating at well below full throttlegave them a cruel reality check at the Motera Stadium
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran08-Oct-2006
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Timber: Chamu Chibhabha was cleaned up by Ian Bradshaw, an indication of what was to follow © Getty Images
Having beaten an erratic Bangladesh side on home soil a few months ago,Zimbabwe arrived here with the aim of proving their competitiveness atthis level, but a West Indies side operating at well below full throttlegave them a cruel reality check at the Motera Stadium. After ProsperUtseya had won the toss and elected to bat, Zimbabwe were skittled out for85 in just 30.1 overs, with the bowlers breaking through at will every sooften. And a Chris Gayle blitz ensured that a lunch break wouldn’t berequired, with West Indies knocking off the runs in just 14.2 overs.Anthony Ireland and Ed Rainsford had bowled a maiden apiece as West Indiesstarted sedately, but Gayle, who had dawdled 17 balls for his first tworuns, exploded into action in the eighth over, slamming Ireland for sixand four over midwicket before clipping one down to the square leg fence.Zimbabwe didn’t help their cause with some awful fielding. With Gayle on21, Utseya dropped a chance running back from deep cover and afterGayle had rubbed it in with two nonchalant lofts over the leg side,Ireland put down a simple chance at deep backward point, leaving Rainsfordto wonder just what he needed to do to pick up a wicket.Gayle’s 34-ball 41 ended with another casual hoick, but two glorious sixesfrom Brian Lara finished off the job and continued the Champions Trophy’stradition of hideous mismatches. If not for the lure of Lara, even the 32folk that bought tickets for this shambles might have had second thoughts.The first half of the match had been every bit as one-sided. Though WestIndies decided not to try out the express pace of Fidel Edwards, theopening duo were more than a handful for a Zimbabwe side that haven’tbeaten top-notch opposition in eons. Both Jerome Taylor and Ian Bradshawstruggled to settle into a steady length and line on a placid pitch, butthe odd good delivery was more than enough to see off feeble resistance.Bradshaw started the slide, darting one through Chamu Chibhabha’s defence,and Taylor then did Hamilton Masakadza for pace. Tafadzwa Mufambisi andBrendan Taylor then threatened the briefest of revivals, with Mufambisistroking a gorgeous straight-drive off Taylor, but a lethal bouncer putpaid to such hopes. A shocking bit of running from Taylor then plunged theinnings into further strife, and when Dwayne Smith produced the perfectoutswinger to Stuart Matsikenyeri, half the side was back in the dressingroom within 13 overs.A direct hit from Wavell Hinds saw off the chunky Piet Rinke, and EltonChigumbura’s attempt to slog the team out of trouble only resulted inanother wicket for Smith. With the lowest Champions Trophy total – theUnited States made a whopping 65 against Australia in the last edition -under threat, Utseya and Ireland merely delayed the inevitable.But for Utseya’s gritty 27, the embarrassment would have been even moreacute.Gayle proved effective for the mopping up, and his violent flails asthe shadows lengthened ensured that the electricity bill for the lightswould be a very small one indeed.How they were outZimbabweChamu Chibhabha b Bradshaw 1 (9 for 1)
Hamilton Masakadza b Taylor 1 (10 for 2)
Tafadzwa Mufambisi c Baugh b Taylor 18 (31 for 3)
Brendan Taylor run out (Chanderpaul) 7 (31 for 4)
Piet Rinke run out (Hinds) 1 (46 for 6)
Elton Chigumbura c Taylor b Smith 10 (58 for 7)
Anthony Ireland b Gayle 6 (82 for 8)
Ed Rainsford c Bravo b Gayle 0 (84 for 9)
Slash outside off stump goes to the left of slip, sharp catchProsper Utseya lbw Gayle 27 (85 all out)
Trapped in front going for a pullWest IndiesChris Gayle c Kamungozi b Chigumbura 41 (66 for 1)