Chigumbura's heroics all in vain

South Africa A 274 for 7 (van Wyk 76, A Peteren 60) beat Zimbabwe A 227 for 6 (Chigumbura 61*) by 47 runs
Scorecard

Two well-executed half centuries by Morne van Wyk and Alviro Petersen guided South Africa A to a 47-run victory over Zimbabwe A in the first one-dayer at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, despite an aggressive unbeaten half-century from Elton Chigumbura.

Robin Petersen, South Africa A's skipper, won the toss and opted for first use of the track. Loots Bosman and van Wyk, opening the batting, put on 62 before Bosman fell to Gary Brent, caught in the gully by Chigumbura for 31.

van Wyk was joined by Petersen and the pair added on 116 before Petersen fell trying to loft Prosper Utseya over long-on. His 60 took 81 balls, and in his next over Utseya trapped van Wyk leg-before for 76. The innings continued to wobble when Justin Ontong was deceived by a well-flighted delivery from Sean Williams to be stumped by Brendan Taylor.

The last five overs of the South Africa A innings were eventful. Big hitter Justin Kemp had a brief cameo, hoisting Friday Kasteni for two consecutive sixes, the first which went out of the ground and fell on the road and the next which landed on the practice nets. However, a bowling change paid dividends as Anthony Ireland produced a gem of a yorker to uproot Kemp's middle stump. Two wickets fell in the last over - Vernon Philander was stumped off Brent while Petersen was brilliantly run-out.

In their chase, Zimbabwe A were in trouble as early as the first over. Alfonso Thomas opened with a no-ball then a wide before finding the spot to remove Stuart Matsikenyeri's off stump. Chamu Chibhabha followed when Albie Morkel bowled him for 10.

Kasteni looked comfortable but he was run-out by by a direct hit from Philander for 22 after a shambolic mix-up. Williams did not last either, gloving a bouncer from Morkel to wicketkeeper van Wyk for a two-ball duck.

Hamilton Masakadza and Taylor brought the home side back into the match, but it was Masakadza's poor strike rate that cost them in the end. They added 76 for the fifth wicket, but too slowly, and only when the more aggressive Chigumbura joined Masakadza did the run-rate rise.

Chigumbura who took the bowling attack head on. Offspinner Thandi Tshabalala was particularly targeted as Chigumbura took four of his sixes off him, all over long-on. Roger Telemachus almost held on to one of them but could only parry the ball over the rope. Masakadza and Chigumbura shared in a 64-run stand for the sixth wicket, broken when Masakadza lost his middle stump to Morkel.

Chigumbura, who hammered five sixes in his unbeaten 46-ball 61, gave the scoreline respectability but his onslaught came far too late to ever threaten to swing the game.

The turnout was not impressive, but a number of schoolchildren watched and a few adults took time off from their busy schedule. The numbers are expected to grow for the last two games, as they will be played at the weekend. Zimbabwe A's performance here will hopefully prompt the fans to come out in greater numbers.