Zimbabwe Cricket Online volume 4, issue 13, 6 December 2002

At least Zimbabwe's bowlers turned in their best performance of the series in the final one-day international in Harare last Sunday. Henry Olonga was the pick of the pacemen, bowling a really fine spell; Douglas Hondo was good and Travis Friend quite good. For the first time Pakistan lost early wickets, but magnificent batting by Yousuf Youhana, once again, and Younis Khan rescued the side. The support bowling was not so good, and so Pakistan reached 300 yet again.

CONTENTS

• Fourth ODI v Pakistan: Scorecard | Report
• Fifth ODI v Pakistan: Scorecard | Report
• Zimbabwe's World Cup squad Reviewed
• Kenya tour Preview
• Interview with coach Geoff Marsh
• Records: Zimbabwe's ODI Records Updated
• Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Records Updated
• Letters

Zimbabwe began well, and with Andy Flower in fine form passed 100 with one wicket down and almost up with the required run rate. But then the middle order, which had fought back so well during crises earlier in the series, for once flopped badly. Numbers five to nine all failed to reach double figures, and so another match was lost. At least an exciting last-wicket record partnership of 47 between Olonga and Hondo, even if three overs and 41 runs of it was against occasional bowlers, gave the crowd something to go home happy about.

As one tour finishes, another starts, and we welcome Kenya to the country. It is a pity they are not going to enjoy the much-needed experience of first-class cricket as they aim for Test status, but they are grateful that Zimbabwe, unlike other Test-playing countries, are willing to give them a tour, even if it does consist of one-day matches with the World Cup in view. It will hopefully provide some testing cricket for Zimbabwe, while at the same time giving them some practice in winning again.