Williams and Co demolish records to keep Zimbabwe undefeated

Zimbabwe crushed USA by 304 runs, registering the second-biggest margin of victory by runs in ODIs. USA ran into a side that has been in red-hot form in this World Cup Qualifier as Zimbabwe feasted on runs to put up their highest-ever total in ODIs, surpassing the 351 they made against Kenya in 2001.

After seeing off the new ball, Zimbabwe went all guns blazing in the final 35 overs and were led by their stand-in-captain Sean Williams who was an unstoppable force on the day as he raced to his hundred in a mere 65 deliveries, sending the jam-packed crowd into raucous applause.

Williams romped to 174 off 101 deliveries as the hosts put up an impregnable total of 408. While he started to cramp up in the last ten overs, he was aided by useful contributions from the opening wicketkeeper-batter Joylord Gumbie, the in-form Sikandar Raza, and then Ryan Burl.

Once again, USA let themselves down in the fielding department. Nostush Kenjige had Gumbie and Raza dropped off his own bowling, and they both feasted on the errors as nothing went in USA's favour on a forgettable day. The dropped chances proved too costly in a game where they were lacking the services of their main men and death overs specialists Ali Khan and Saurabh Netravakar - who were both struck down by flu.

Gumbie and Williams put on a 160-run partnership for the third wicket to lay down the platform for Zimbabwe. Williams was the aggressor, milking the spinners for runs, especially the debutant Usman Rafiq, who leaked 40 runs in four overs.

Raza then came in and hit five fours and two sixes en route to his 27-ball 48 before Burl clubbed 47 off 16. One hit away from equalling AB de Villiers for the fastest ODI fifty, Burl was caught at deep midwicket off Jessy Singh in the 48th over.

In reply, USA snapped under the scoreboard pressure. They were bundled out for a paltry score of 104 as Richard Ngarava, who ran riot with a scorching spell upfront, coupled with Raza took two wickets apiece while Brad Evans, Luke Jongwe, and Burl grabbed one each.

Ngarava sent both openers back early. He got Steven Taylor capitulating to a vicious snorter on off that he nicked through to the keeper and in his very next over, he beat Sushant Modani's cut as Zimbabwe's opening burst proved too hot to handle for a depleted side that was reeling from a flu outbreak in the camp.

USA captain Monank Patel got out in single figures after miscuing a drive to mid-on where Williams pocketed a low catch, and thereon the game became a point of discussion about records as USA's resistance quickly petered out due to the loss of wickets at frequent intervals. There were as many as three run-outs in the innings and two mix-ups in the tenth over by Brad Evans; both Aaron Jones and Shayan Jahangir were involved in a terrible botch-up.

Zimbabwe made four changes coming into the game, with Innocent Kaia, Jongwe, Evans and Tadiwanashe Marumani replacing Blessing Muzarabani, Craig Ervine, Clive Madande and Tendai Chatara, but continued in the same manner as they have in the World Cup Qualifier, and will be riding high on confidence going into the Super Sixes stage.