full delivery clubbed down the ground, and that's the end of that
England vs Zimbabwe, 6th Match, Group B at Cape Town, Sep 13 2007 - Match Result
Zimbabwe have done themselves proud once again. No disgrace in this defeat. They batted their full 20 overs, and finished on 138 for 7, which funnily enough is the same score as Australia made in yesterday's shock encounter.
Taylor played beautifully once again for his 47 from 39 balls, and at 81 for 1 in the 11th over, England were moderately rattled. But the slower bowlers did the trick, with Mascarenhas and Schofield sharing five quick scalps between them.
"We lost key wickets at the wrong time," admits Prosper Utseya. Paul Collingwood says: "It was a good win, but not a perfect performance by any means."
Now then, now then. Tomorrow is utterly, totally massive. England and Zimbabwe top Group B with two points, Australia are yet to get off the mark. They must beat England tomorrow to have any hope of progressing to the second round of the ICC World Twenty20. It's all getting very serious down in the Western Cape.
"Hopefully we'll come out tomorrow and put the perfect performance in," says Collingwood. To that end, they'll be looking for more of the same from the Man of the Match, Kevin Pietersen. His 79 from 37 balls was the difference between the sides today, and it could eventually be the difference between qualification and early elimination. "It would be nice to send Australia home wouldn't it?" grins Pietersen at the post-match presentation.
We've been Andrew Miller and Jenny Thompson. Join us tomorrow at 1.30pm local time (11.30 GMT) for live ball-by-ball coverage of England v Australia at Newlands.
last ball ...
a swing and a miss. A fraction slower from Broad, and Prior tidies up
in the slot for a swing, but Masakadza can't get enough bat on it. It disappears high, high into the stratosphere, and lands safely in the hands of Luke Wright at deep midwicket. A useful innings comes to an end, as Dabengwa comes to the crease
low full-toss and wide of off stump too. Utseya reaches for it with one hand, and scampers a single to midwicket
biffed out to the covers, but can't beat the field
on the spot, and through to the keeper
Stuart Broad to wrap up the proceedings
just a little bit too short this time. Utseya rocks back and has a heave over midwicket. Not timed, but reasonably effective in the circumstances
a short run-up this time from Flintoff - a useful trick that - and it's full and straight once again. Quality death bowling, but well played too, finding the gap down the ground
right up in the blockhole once again. Another expansive strike, but can't be timed
full and straight, dug out with a swish of the bat, and picked up in the covers
clubbed out to long-on, another jogged single
slow yorker, loops down the track and Utseya is deceived by the lack of pace
Here's Flintoff
yorker length but misdirected. Pietersen at fine leg does well to pull that in inside the rope, and Luke Wright wings the return in to the keeper
drifts down the leg-side this time, and rightly called
outside off stump and down on one knee for the sweep, but there's no connection
dobbly line and length, takes an eternity to reach the bat, but is eventually nudged to midwicket
drifts onto the pads, and an elegant leg-glance picks up four very useful runs
dropped. A big swish across the line, Collingwood the bowler hurtles out to midwicket to complete the return catch, but the ball sneaks through his fingers. Another miss in the field ...
yorker, and a good one too. Not quite in the Newlands 2003 mould, but effective nonetheless
Newlands, Cape Town | |
Toss | England, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2007/08 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match number | T20I no. 25 |
Hours of play (local time) | First Session 14:00-15:20, Interval 15:20-15:40, Second Session 15:40-17:00 |
Match days | 13 September 2007 - day (20-over match) |
T20I debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | England 2, Zimbabwe 0 |