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Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN cricket reached one of the all time lows when a dismal display by the top order batsmen saw the home side slump to yet another embarrassing defeat to Afghanistan, this time around by 100 runs in the fourth and final One-Day International cricket encounter played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

The loss by Zimbabwe meant the four-match series which was widely expected to end in a 4-0 whitewash for Zimbabwe concluded 2-2. It was only the second defeat by Zimbabwe to Afghanistan in ODIs with the first ever beating coming at the same venue in the third match on Tuesday.

Afghanistan, aided by 56 runs from wicketkeeper Shafiqullah Shafaq posted 259 runs which proved enough as Zimbabwe, despite a fighting display from debutant wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami who made 64 down the order, came out second best against the Asians. Zimbabwe were blown away for 159 runs in 38 overs.  Man of the match, medium pace bowler Donald Tiripano’s first ever five wicket haul in ODIs also proved to be in vain.

After winning the toss and sending Afghanistan to bat, Zimbabwe’s new ball opening pair of Tinashe Panyangara and Tiripano kept things tight.

Tiripano, playing his third ODI made the breakthrough for Zimbabwe with the first of his five wickets, Javed Ahmadi snared at second slip by Brendan Taylor to depart for seven runs. Afghanistan were soon two down, Ghani trapped leg before wicket by Tiripano for 14 runs.

In the first Powerplay which is the opening 10 overs, Afghanistan scored 41 runs at 4.1 runs per over while losing two wickets.
Elton Chigumbura could have had a wicket in his first over, Naib on 25 runs lofting a delivery from the pace bowler only for the catch to be dropped by Sikandar Raza. The dropped catch did not cost much as Naib fell having added six runs, dismissed by Shingirai Masakadza, taken behind by wicketkeeper Mutumbami.

Nasir Jamal and Samiullah Shinwari got more comfortable at the crease. Their partnership of 64 runs was brought to an end when Jamal was run out going for a tight single, the ball thrown to the non striker’s end by Malcolm Waller to Sean Williams who effected the dismissal and the batsman was on his way for 39 runs. Shinwari soon followed his batting partner into the pavilion, out to a brilliant catch from Williams off his own bowling.

During the five over batting Powerplay the tourists scored 40 runs at 8 runs per over without losing a wicket.

Skipper Mohammad Nabi and wicketkeeper Shafiqullah Shafaq steadied the Afghanistan innings with some lusty blows. The two put on a sixth wicket stand of 72 runs before Nabi fell to Masakadza, caught at deep cover by Chigumbura.

Tiripano picked up his third wicket, Mirwais Ashraf aiming for the boundary only to pick out Waller at long on.

Shafaq got to his half century with a single off Masakadza’s last ball of his ninth over, having faced up to 41 deliveries with three fours and one six. With overs running out, Shafaq tried to accelerate the scoring rate but that proved to be his demise, handing Tiripano his fourth wicket, taken by Taylor.

Afghanistan were shortly nine down, Dawlat Zadran’s  powerful shot off Panyangara’s  bowling brilliantly caught by Williams.

Tiripano claimed his fifth wicket, getting new batsman in Aftab Alam pouched by Taylor to bring an end to the Afghanistan innings.

Zimbabwe’s run chase got off to an awful start with two wickets lost without much runs on the board. Chakabva was the first to go, taken at cover by Nabi off the bowling of Alam. The two Afghans combined to dismiss Taylor, Nabi this time around the bowler and Alam with the catch in the deep.

It got even worse, Williams run out going for a run that was never there, too late for him to return to his crease before the run out was effected. Zimbabwe threw it away with four wickets lost with only 29 runs on board. Raza, Chigumbura and Waller all went as Zimbabwe lost three wickets with no runs to the scoreboard.

It was left to Mutumbami and Timycen Maruma to rebuild the Zimbabwean innings. Mutumbami reached his maiden ODI half century with a single off left arm spinner, the half ton coming off 39 balls, an innings containing seven fours.

Maruma and Mutumbami put on 97 runs for the seventh wicket, a stand which almost gave Zimbabwe some hope. The two were finally separated when Maruma was given out leg before wicket to Ashraf for 29 runs. Zimbabwe’s faint hopes of a comeback when he skied a delivery from Ashraf, presenting wicketkeeper Shafaq with an easy catch and Mutumbami was on his way for a fighting 64 off 75 balls, an innings with eight fours.

Zimbabwe were nine down with 153 runs on the board, Masakadza becoming Ashraf’s third wicket, caught in the deep by Zadran. It was all over for Zimbabwe when last batsman in Tiripano was clean bowled by Alam.

Meanwhile, Stephen Mangongo has been appointed substantive national team coach, taking over the role from Andrew Waller who has since been re-assigned to the role of national director of coaching responsible for grassroots cricket.

This came out of the ZC board meeting held in Harare yesterday which saw long serving chairman Peter Chingoka step down from his position with Harare lawyer Wilson Manase now the chairman of the national cricket mother body on an interim basis.

Mangongo will now take over preparations for the visits to the country by cricket heavyweights South Africa and Australia next month.

Another change sees Brendan Taylor being captain of Test matches while all rounder Chigumbura will lead the team in the shorter version of the game.