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Australia vs Zimbabwe, 4th Match, Group B at Cape Town, , Sep 12 2007 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
4th Match, Group B (N), Cape Town, September 12, 2007, ICC World Twenty20
(19.5/20 ov, T:139) 139/5

Zimbabwe won by 5 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)

Player Of The Match
60* (45)
brendan-taylor
New
ZIM
Full commentary

The Zimbabwe team race on to the pitch, engulfing each other. This is a magnificent result and, it must be said, a thoroughly deserved victory. Zimbabwe have played so well this evening. "Congratulations Zimbabwe" flashes up on the board - not a phrase expected before this match. Remember you could have got 10 to 1 on Zimbabwe at the start of this game, in a two-horse race. And Australia were 50-1 on.

Zimbabwe really have shone in this match, with nerveless fielding, accurate bowling and then an excellent display of batting from a confident Taylor who carried his bat to bring up an unbeaten 60. Ponting is still smiling: "We've been outplayed." He calls the batting "diabolical" but wait, read this: "It's a mental thing for us - we've got to start respecting the game a bit more." There it is, Ponting has said it: Australia have admitted they have been taking the game too lightheartedly.

Perhaps lessons from the 2005 Ashes have not been learned, when their drubbing - having dismissed Twenty20 as "a bit of fun" - set the tone for the summer. And this result tonight is interesting - we did wonder if Australia had a fall coming given their confidence heading into the tournament, though nobody expected that it would be so dramatic, nor that they would lose to Zimbabwe. Their upcoming opponents, though, must be fearing a resurgence - perhaps the monster will be woken now.

Let's focus now, though, on Utseya who is calm in the win. "We needed someone to play sensible, Brendan Taylor did that." He said he was going to bowl first anyway, so the toss was unimportant. Utseya leaves the interview, punching his fist in the air. As well he might. What an extraordinary match we have just witnessed. Taylor is the Man of the Match. "Words can't describe the win. Allround brilliant performance by the guys." He said it.

Thanks so much for joining us this evening. We've enjoyed it massively - we being me, Jenny Thompson and my colleague Andrew Miller (with Martin Williamson on bulletin drums) - and we hope you have too. Come back tomorrow as Zimbabwe won't have time to catch their breath before playing England - though doubtless the momentum will help them.

19.5
4lb
Bracken to Taylor, 4 leg byes

and that's it! A remarkable victory for Zimbabwe, as that's turned finely through fine leg and races away eluding a diving Clark at full stretch on the rope - but he's beaten and so are Australia. Astonishing.

Four from two needed. Zimbabwe are lining up, arms over each others' shoulders, in the dug-out. Rain's coming down, but that will not play a part now, even though Bracken's drying the ball. Tense, so tense. Electric atmosphere.

19.4
1
Bracken to Chigumbura, 1 run

down the track and he nearly falls over in the effort - a single results and Taylor's back on strike

19.3
2
Bracken to Chigumbura, 2 runs

driven strongly out to long-on and they come back for two runs which were comfortable enough in the end

Zimbabwe could do with Taylor getting back on strike. A tied scoreline would result in a bowl-out, by the way. Seven from four needed. Ponting has a chat with Bracken - where will he bowl?

19.2
1
Bracken to Taylor, 1 run

drive to cover for a single

19.1
4
Bracken to Taylor, FOUR runs

low full toss outside off, Taylor reaches out to somehow sweep behind square, eluding the man on the way

end of over 196 runs • 1 wicket
ZIM: 127/5CRR: 6.68 RRR: 12.00
Brendan Taylor55 (42b 3x4 2x6)
Elton Chigumbura1 (1b)
Brett Lee 4-0-31-1
Nathan Bracken 3-0-17-1

Bracken now

18.6
1
Lee to Taylor, 1 run

eases back into his crease, but Lee's fired that one in full once more, and then driven out to extra cover where it's well marshalled on the boundary by the sweeper

13 from seven needed now. Tense, very tense, but the game's heading Australia's way at the moment. Lee's final ball coming up

18.5
2
Lee to Taylor, 2 runs

worked behind square for two

18.4
1
Lee to Chigumbura, 1 run

stuns the ball down right onto the batting crease and they run through a very quick single, Lee running soen and breaking the stumps with his hand, not the ball

Chigumbura's chance to be a hero now. 16 from nine balls required

18.3
W
Lee to Masakadza, OUT

dangerous shot - sounded like an edge but there wasn't - Masakadza trying the sweep and paying for it. You don't get plumber and that wasn't a tough decision

Hamilton Masakadza lbw b Lee 27 (28b 2x4 0x6) SR: 96.42
18.2
1
Lee to Taylor, 1 run

another yorker, dug out again, with a drive towards the cover boundary

18.1
1
Lee to Masakadza, 1 run

yorker, well bowled, but poor fielding as Zimbabwe scramble a single a metre or so square of the wicket as the ball crashes off the bat into the pad and back out there

end of over 185 runs
ZIM: 121/4CRR: 6.72 RRR: 9.00
Hamilton Masakadza26 (26b 2x4)
Brendan Taylor51 (39b 3x4 2x6)
Nathan Bracken 3-0-17-1
Brett Lee 3-0-25-0

A good over from Bracken, applying the brakes there. But the momentum is building for Zimbabwe - and this is heading for the wire. Lee now

17.6
1
Bracken to Masakadza, 1 run

full again, driven down the ground towards long-on

17.5
Bracken to Masakadza, no run

steps back to give himself room and drives back to Bracken again

17.4
Bracken to Masakadza, no run

driven strongly back to Bracken who is vigilant in tidying up

That's the fifty partnership from 40 balls

17.3
2
Bracken to Masakadza, 2 runs

another full toss, driven through extra cover this time and they took the throw on from Hussey - a good decision because they were back easily

17.2
1
Bracken to Taylor, 1 run

on off, firmly struck straight towards long-off for one. A two would have been too risky, there

17.1
1
Bracken to Masakadza, 1 run

full toss slants across the right hander, who drives back to cover where it's well stopped

end of over 176 runs
ZIM: 116/4CRR: 6.82 RRR: 7.66
Hamilton Masakadza22 (21b 2x4)
Brendan Taylor50 (38b 3x4 2x6)
Brett Lee 3-0-25-0
Mitchell Johnson 4-0-26-1

Bracken back into the attack

16.6
1
Lee to Masakadza, 1 run

full on leg, and well dug out to midwicket for a quick single

16.5
2
Lee to Masakadza, 2 runs

on off, driven out to mid-off for a quick single - which becomes two as there's an overthrow from Clark's mis-shy at the non-striker's stumps

16.4
Lee to Masakadza, no run

pushed on to the back foot and two fielders bound in from the off-side ring to tidy up

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ICC World Twenty20

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA22040.974
BAN21120.149
WI2020-1.233
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS21120.987
ENG21120.209
ZIM2112-1.196
Group C
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL22044.721
NZ21122.396
KENYA2020-8.047
Group D
TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND21030.000
PAK21121.275
SCOT2011-2.550
Group E
TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND32140.750
NZ32140.050
SA3214-0.116
ENG3030-0.700
Group F
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK33060.843
AUS32142.256
SL3122-0.697
BAN3030-2.031