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Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 1st ODI at Harare, , Aug 02 2015 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st ODI, Harare, August 02, 2015, New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa
(49/50 ov, T:304) 304/3

Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
130* (108)
craig-ervine
New
ZIM
Full commentary

4.55pm Right then, Zimbabwe go 1-0 up in the three-match series. New Zealand will be desperate to bounce back in the 2nd ODI on Tuesday. Until then, its goodbye.

4.45pm A really, really good chase by Zimbabwe, showing everyone how to do it too. Kept wickets for the end, keeping the required run-rate in check at most times. No panic from Ervine, kept his nerve and produced an amazing display of batsmanship in the penultimate over. He picked his shots brilliantly well and executed even better. An undoubtedly, deserved win for Zimbabwe.

Williamson: 'I thought 303 was enough. It wasn't easy up front and I thought it was a good effort. They outplayed us in all areas though, full credit to them. We weren't at our best either. It isn't a train wreck and we weren't far off, maybe struggled a bit with the ball.'

Chigumbura: 'It has been a hard road for us, and it shows we are capable of winning games. It was a good wicket and our opening partnership showed the way.'

Craig Ervine is the Man of the Match. "It feels very good, especially to be there at the end. The pitch tended to misbehave a bit against India, but it was good today. I took it ball-by-ball and didn't think too much about it."

Rakesh: "A tall chase executed perfectly with a solid opening partnership, followed by 2 more solid performances by the top order, calm, unhurried and full of belief and self confidence with top class shot's & rotation of the strike."

Asad: "Great win for Zimbabwe. After coming so close in many games they've finally won one here."

49.1
1w
McCullum to Williams, 1 wide

that is it. A wide does it. What a win for Zimbabwe. Just brilliant. Wide and Williams tries to reverse sweep but it is just too wide outside off. A memorable win for Zimbabwe, great display of batting by Zimbabwe and Craig Ervine in particular.

One required. Nathan McCullum with most fielders inside the circle.

end of over 4915 runs
ZIM: 303/3CRR: 6.18 RRR: 1.00
Craig Ervine130 (108b 11x4 5x6)
Sean Williams7 (9b)
James Neesham 7-0-44-0
Matt Henry 9-0-58-0
48.6
6
Neesham to Ervine, SIX runs

and he does it. Almost. What a shot Craig Ervine, an unbelievable innings. Well outside off and he drags it over midwicket with just terrific timing in the air and it travels a few metres over the boundary. Not a bad ball, but when batsmen are striking it as well as Ervine is, there isn't much you can do.

48.5
4
Neesham to Ervine, FOUR runs

amazing, just amazing, drags it from well outside off and sweeps the low full toss to the deep square leg where no one is present. Great shot selection again

Eleven off 8 now

48.4
2
Neesham to Ervine, 2 runs

low full toss again, heaved down to long-off in the air with no timing, just enough pace on it to get two though.

48.3
1lb
Neesham to Williams, 1 leg bye

attempts an exotic lap sweep, he keeps one leg on leg stump to prevent it from hitting the stump and it works, hits the pad and rolls away to fine leg, pitched well outside leg

48.2
1
Neesham to Ervine, 1 run

full and wide, not a bad delivery, Ervine swats it down to long-on for just one

48.1
1
Neesham to Williams, 1 run

takes the single, slower ball outside off at a back of a length, worked away to midwicket for one

Kane Williamson entrusts the penultimate over to Neesham. Good test as captain for the young Williamson too.

Varn: "I would definitely say zim are favourites here since both of these batsmen can bat as we saw in the world cup and ervine is well set"

end of over 4818 runs
ZIM: 288/3CRR: 6.00 RRR: 8.00
Craig Ervine117 (104b 10x4 4x6)
Sean Williams6 (7b)
Matt Henry 9-0-58-0
Mitchell McClenaghan 9-0-47-0
47.6
4
Henry to Ervine, FOUR runs

they'll take em however they can get em. Low full toss on off stump, he swipes at it and gets a thick outside edge and it flies down to the third man boundary.

47.6
1w
Henry to Ervine, 1 wide

very very wide ball down leg, would have been a wide for the right-hander. Pressure on everyone

47.5
4
Henry to Ervine, FOUR runs

what placement, excellent timing, slower ball again down leg, gives himself room once more and connects this time however and finds the gap behind deep square leg

47.4
Henry to Ervine, no run

slower bouncer down leg side, he gives himself a bit of room and tries to swat it away. No connection though

47.3
6
Henry to Ervine, SIX runs

oh my word! what a timely stroke, just unbelievable shot selection, gives himself a bit of room and clears his front foot and lofts it over mid-off and goes for six!

47.2
1
Henry to Williams, 1 run

slower delivery out of the back of the hand again, pulled away but deep square leg collects.

47.1
2
Henry to Williams, 2 runs

full and quick on middle, chipped in the air to midwicket but well placed, calls for two immediately and they get it easily

Still in it are Zimbabwe. Excellent match to begin the series. Matt Henry has two overs and he will bowl one here. Third man is inside the circle.

end of over 478 runs
ZIM: 270/3CRR: 5.74 RRR: 11.33
Sean Williams3 (5b)
Craig Ervine103 (100b 8x4 3x6)
Mitchell McClenaghan 9-0-47-0
James Neesham 6-0-30-0
46.6
1
McClenaghan to Williams, 1 run

full yorker speared in just outside off, great execution from McClenaghan. Dug out down to third man.

46.5
1
McClenaghan to Ervine, 1 run

full on off stump, gives himself room and tries to clear cover but fails to do so, hits it all along the ground straight to cover.

46.4
4
McClenaghan to Ervine, FOUR runs

swatted away off the front foot for a much needed boundary to bring up his maiden ODI century, great innings from him. Well deserved too. Slower ball which is dispatched for four over midwicket

46.3
1
McClenaghan to Williams, 1 run

slower delivery out of the back of the hand, drilled down to long-on, just another single.

46.2
McClenaghan to Williams, no run

driven powerfully down to mid-off, another dot ball, pressure building, full and quick though. Good ball

46.1
1
McClenaghan to Ervine, 1 run

wide yorker from McClenaghan, good execution too. Squirted out to the sweeper cover off the front foot

Required run-rate over 10 now. One good over from either side could change the game.