Morale boosting win for Zimbabwe U-19

The Zimbabwe Under-19 team rounded off its preparations for the World Cup with a two-wicket win against Titans in Paarl. After electing to field first, Zimbabwe's opening bowlers Calum Price and Tendai Chitara hit their straps immediately to have the hosts reeling at three wickets down with less than 30 on the board. A middle-order recovery overcame a fine fielding performance to take the score to 183 runs.

Zimbabwe's response followed a similar theme of early wickets followed by a resurgence. The chase was initially was stunted by a fine opening salvo from the Titans' seamers who had the visitors in a shambles at 28 for 4. The rebuilding phase was masterminded by Tinotenda Mutombodzi and Andrew Lindsay, who added 70 runs to bring their side back into the game. Titans' spinners restored parity by dismissing both batsmen with fifty runs still required for victory. However, Nathan Waller put paid to the hosts' hopes of a back-door victory with a belligerent 40 that took Zimbabwe home with an over to spare. The squad will be buoyed by this win as they head to New Zealand for the Under-19 World Cup.