Taibu sets up vital win for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe were in dire need of a solid rebuilding effort when Tatenda Taibu walked out to face the second ball of the innings after Brendan Taylor, their form batsman of the last 18 months, had been pinned lbw by the first. Taibu's continued presence was made even more important four overs later, when Charles Coventry was also removed and Zimbabwe were in dire trouble at 7 for 2.

Taibu eased the pressure with two boundaries in offspinner Jimmy Hansra's first over, and another brace in his second, and he barely dipped below a-run-a-ball thereafter. He motored through the 40s with consecutive fours off Rizwan Cheema's medium pace and brought up a 45-ball fifty in the 15th over.

After a quiet start to his innings, Craig Ervine joined Taibu in taking the attack to Canada's bowlers and their stand reached 150 in the 26th over. Displaying equal competency against both seam and spin, Taibu reached 85 with his ninth boundary. Ervine's dismissal, and Elton Chigumbura's quick departure soon after, slowed him down a touch, but he looked set for a third one-day hundred before he top-edged a sweep to be out for 98 in the 34th over.

Still, his 181-run stand with Ervine is Zimbabwe's highest for the third wicket in ODIs and their fifth largest overall, and helped the team to recover from a decidedly shaky start and reach a match-winning 298 for 8.