Mutumbami's miss, and the debutant's beamer
Plays of the day from the first T20 between Zimbabwe and Pakistan in Harare
Liam Brickhill in Harare
27-Sep-2015
Chamu Chibhabha scored a duck but made an impressive contribution with the ball • AFP
The spell
Chamu Chibhabha has become Zimbabwe's most reliable allrounder in recent times, and though he failed with the bat in the first T20, his efforts with the ball provided a valuable contribution. Chibhabha bowled the second over of the match, from the City End, and soon made a breakthrough. His three wickets in the space of seven deliveries dismantled Pakistan's top order, reducing them to 29 for 3, and Zimbabwe's bowlers never really let the batsmen get away thereafter.
Chamu Chibhabha has become Zimbabwe's most reliable allrounder in recent times, and though he failed with the bat in the first T20, his efforts with the ball provided a valuable contribution. Chibhabha bowled the second over of the match, from the City End, and soon made a breakthrough. His three wickets in the space of seven deliveries dismantled Pakistan's top order, reducing them to 29 for 3, and Zimbabwe's bowlers never really let the batsmen get away thereafter.
The missed stumping
Zimbabwe were generally tight in the field, but there was a ragged edge to Richmod Mutumbami's wicketkeeping. In the 13th over, Sean Williams fizzed one past an advancing Mohammad Rizwan's outside edge. Mutumbami gloved the turning, bouncing ball and Rizwan, who was on 2 at the time, went on to make an unbeaten 33, holding a wobbly Pakistan innings together.
Zimbabwe were generally tight in the field, but there was a ragged edge to Richmod Mutumbami's wicketkeeping. In the 13th over, Sean Williams fizzed one past an advancing Mohammad Rizwan's outside edge. Mutumbami gloved the turning, bouncing ball and Rizwan, who was on 2 at the time, went on to make an unbeaten 33, holding a wobbly Pakistan innings together.
The beamer
Luke Jongwe's confident swagger is well known in Zimbabwean cricket, and the 20-year-old's first T20 international over was a nerveless one. His second over, the 19th of the innings, also started well but Jongwe then delivered a beamer to send Imad Wasim ducking for cover. The batsman couldn't take toll of the Free Hit, however, and Jongwe recovered to end the over with a wicket.
Luke Jongwe's confident swagger is well known in Zimbabwean cricket, and the 20-year-old's first T20 international over was a nerveless one. His second over, the 19th of the innings, also started well but Jongwe then delivered a beamer to send Imad Wasim ducking for cover. The batsman couldn't take toll of the Free Hit, however, and Jongwe recovered to end the over with a wicket.
The drift
Wasim is something of a curiosity as a limited-overs spinner. He is tall and accurate, but doesn't seem to spin the ball much - even in conditions as helpful as these. Rather, drift is his weapon. Both Chibhabha and Sikandar Raza expected turn where there was none, and though Wasim's dismissal of Williams was, perhaps, a little fortuitous, yet again it was drift that had prompted a false stroke and his four-wicket haul was richly deserved.
Wasim is something of a curiosity as a limited-overs spinner. He is tall and accurate, but doesn't seem to spin the ball much - even in conditions as helpful as these. Rather, drift is his weapon. Both Chibhabha and Sikandar Raza expected turn where there was none, and though Wasim's dismissal of Williams was, perhaps, a little fortuitous, yet again it was drift that had prompted a false stroke and his four-wicket haul was richly deserved.
The mix-up
The match looked set for a fizzing finish when Jongwe and Elton Chigumbura, two notably hard strikers of the ball, combined at the crease with Zimbabwe needing 60 from 41 deliveries. But there were no fireworks, and the stand had barely started when Jongwe's call for a second run went unheard by Chigumbura. The Zimbabwean captain had been watching the ball, rather than his partner, and Jongwe was run out with both batsmen at the same end.
The match looked set for a fizzing finish when Jongwe and Elton Chigumbura, two notably hard strikers of the ball, combined at the crease with Zimbabwe needing 60 from 41 deliveries. But there were no fireworks, and the stand had barely started when Jongwe's call for a second run went unheard by Chigumbura. The Zimbabwean captain had been watching the ball, rather than his partner, and Jongwe was run out with both batsmen at the same end.
Liam Brickhill is a freelance journalist based in Cape Town