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Harare Bureau
THE Chevrons didn’t get the whitewash they wanted, after losing the third ODI dead rubber by two wickets to Ireland at Harare Sports Club yesterday, with coach Dav Whatmore saying his team lacked awareness of the game.

Having won the series on Sunday following a five-wicket victory, Zimbabwe were hoping for a whitewash but they lost the final ODI by two wickets with the Irish crossing the line with 19 balls to spare.

“The way we played showed that the boys didn’t have enough cricket awareness, yes, they had an idea of how to play but Ireland made it difficult for them to get those extra 20 runs,” said Whatmore.

“On the kind of wicket we had today I also believe that 230 was going to be tough to chase.”

Ireland bowler Tim Murtagh was named Man-of-the Match after he finished with figures of 4-32 in his 10 overs after removing Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza Butt and Wellington Masakadza.

Raza was named Man-of-the-Series.

Zimbabwe were on the back foot from the word go when Richmond Mutumbami went for a duck after he was caught by Niaal J O’Brien off the bowling of Murtagh.

And by the 20th over, Zimbabwe had lost three wickets, Chibhabha (4) and Brian Chari (17) being the others who had perished.

It took a 71-run fifth wicket partnership between captain Chigumbura (34) and Raza (50 off 56 with four fours and a six) for the Chevrons to post a total they could battle to defend.

Sean Williams also scored a half century.

But 187 looked a lightweight score and their cause was not helped when Taurai Muzarabani was punished in Ireland’s chase before finding his line and length to finish with figures of 2-43 in 9.5.

“I guess I was still a bit nervous when I started but as the game progressed I managed to gather myself.

“I’ve waited for so long to get into this and I believe that from today onwards I’m good to go,” said the 28-year-old Muzarabani.

Scorecard

Toss Ireland

Zimbabwe innings

Chibhabha …………c NJ O’Brien b Murtagh……………………..4

Mutumbami†………c Porterfield b Young…………………………0

Chari………………… b McBrine……………………………………..17

Williams……………..c NJ O’Brien b Stirling…………………….51

Chigumbura*………c Balbirnie b Murtagh………………………34

Raza …………………b Murtagh……………………………………..50

Mutombodzi……….run out (Dockrell)………………………………3

Jongwe …………….run out (Dockrell/NJ O’Brien)………………8

Masakadza………..c KJ O’Brien b Murtagh………………………0

Nyumbu……………not out……………………………………………..7

Muzarabani……….lbw b KJ O’Brien………………………………..3

Extras………………(b 1, lb 1, w 8)……………………………….10

Total ……………..(all out; 49.2 overs)………………………….187

F-o-W: 1-2 (Mutumbami, 0.4 ov), 2-7 (Chibhabha, 3.4 ov), 3-56 (Chari, 19.1 ov), 4-88 (Williams, 26.6 ov), 5-159 (Chigumbura, 41.5 ov), 6-164 (Sikandar Raza, 43.2 ov), 7-171 (Mutombodzi, 44.1 ov), 8-174 (Jongwe, 44.6 ov), 9-175 (Masakadza, 45.2 ov), 10-187 (Muzarabani, 49.2 ov)

Bowling: Young 10-0-35-1 (4w); Murtagh10-0-32-4 (2w); Dockrell 10-1-40-0; O’Brien4.2-0-14-1; McBrine10-1-47-1; Stirling 5-0-17-1 (1w).

Ireland Innings

Porterfield*……….. c Sikandar Raza b Muzarabani…………..20

Stirling………………c †Mutumbami b Jongwe………………….50

Joyce………………..c Chari b Masakadza………………………….7

Balbirnie……………run out (Sikandar Raza)…………………….24

NJ O’Brien…………c Chibhabha b Mutombodzi…………………1

GC Wilson†………..c Nyumbu b Mutombodzi…………………..19

KJ O’Brien…………c sub (MN Waller) b Masakadza…………..10

Dockrell……………c Nyumbu b Muzarabani…………………….13

McBrine……………not out……………………………………………14

Murtagh……………not out……………………………………………19

Extras……………(lb 2, w 9, nb 1)………………………………..12

Total………………(8 wickets; 46.5 overs)…………………….189

Did not bat: Young

F-o-W: 1-31 (Porterfield, 6.1 ov), 2-46 (Joyce, 11.4 ov), 3-94 (Balbirnie, 24.1 ov), 4-102 (NJ O’Brien, 27.5 ov), 5-119 (Stirling, 32.5 ov), 6-140 (Wilson, 37.3 ov), 7-148 (KJ O’Brien, 40.2 ov), 8-160 (Dockrell, 42.3 ov).

Bowling: Muzarabani 9.5-1-43-2 (1nb, 1w); Jongwe 9-1-35-1(4w); Masakadza 8-1-31-2; Nyumbu 9-0-37-0 (1w); Mutombodzi 10-0-33-2(1w); Chibhabha 1-0-8-0.