Ervine helps to set up 161-run win

Zimbabwe lost two quick wickets before Craig Ervine, batting at No. 5, had even had time to settle at the crease and Kenya were threatening to upset the momentum of Zimbabwe's innings. He is already building a reputation for having a calm head in high-pressure situations, however, and quickly seized the initiative and set off on a fluent 105-run partnership with his captain, Elton Chigumbura.

Ervine usually takes his time at the beginning of an innings but he hit his straps quickly today, finding the boundary twice in his first six balls. He almost paid the price for his aggression and could have been stumped before he had reached 20 when he ran past a flighted offspinner from James Ngoche, but stand-in wicketkeeper Rakep Patel fluffed the chance and Ervine took advantage of the reprieve.

He was quick to punish anything loose from the quicker bowlers, pulling an attempted bouncer from Peter Ongondo high in the air down to long leg, but saved his best shots for the spinners. Ngoche was run down to third man and reverse-swept in the space of two balls, while Steve Tikolo was slogged over deep midwicket for a 90-metre six.

Ervine rocketed to a 46-ball fifty with a deft paddle to fine leg off seamer Nehemiah Odhiambo, and together with Chigumbura plundered 50 runs from the Batting Powerplay to put Zimbabwe firmly in the ascendancy. Two more innovative leg-side shots off Elijah Otieno took Ervine in to the 60s and helped continue Zimbabwe's charge, and though he chopped a drive onto his own stumps to be out for 66 he had provided the spark that took his team to a match-winning total.