Season 57 SOD Tour 1

[Madcarrot]

This is the first tour of the season. The bid was won by Bermuda who opted for Uneven, even, hard pitches.
This worked out really well for us, as even though we did not make a bid, those were the pitches we would have selected if we did bid.

Here is the touring squad
Batters
Hashim "Richard" - seam specialist, safe hands. - unusual suspects
Ulrich Lukeman - Takashinga Cricket Club
Eric McKenzie - Finisher - Rustars
Regis Mlambo - Sturdy - Takashinga Cricket Club
Jason Nye - Seam specialist - thumbtacks
Marcell Perrin - Armstrong 13's
Tafadzwa Sodumo - Boundary Hitter - Trevor Francis Tracksuit

Wicket Keepers
Everton Dikgacoi - Zambian Goat Herders
Phil Pfizer - Hot Shots CC

Bowlers
RF Andre Krige - Allmänna Idrottsklubben
RF Makabongwe Muzadzi - Pink Flag
LFM Tinashe Maraire - Rustars
LFM Tawanda Mvovo - Moorlands Radio
RFM Ko'rona Vyress - Ball Busters
LFS Savieri Kadziche - Old Ball Bowler, Doosra - Illawarra Dragons CC

All Rounders
RFM Joseph "Richard" - Opener - Unusual Suspects
RLM Bea O'Problem - skilled bowling - Kaiapoi Bogans
RFS Keyran Pennefather - Sturdy - Cloudy Puppies XI

Congratulations to Marcell Perrin, Keyran Pennefather and Tawanda Mvovo for making their debut this tour.

[Madcarrot]

Game 1 Scotland - Uneven Pitch
Game 2 Netherlands - Uneven Pitch
Game 3 Ireland - Even Pitch
Game 4 England Uneven Pitch
Game 5 Bermuda Even Pitch

[Madcarrot]

Game 1 - Scotland
The Scottish Stalemate

The Bagpipes played and the supporters arrived with blue and white painted paces, kilts, and ready for action.

They were by the dancing, drumming Zimbabwean fans who were ready to party.

Zimbabwe lost the toss and were sent into bat, and decided to start the tour by sending in the 2 Dic k twins. Born on the same day it was a dream for them to open the batting together for their country and today they got a chance.

The uneven pitch would always be volatile to bat on but it was nice sunny weather and Zimbabwe were happy to bat first.

Scotland got off to a good start though with Hashim falling in the first over for a duck.

Jason Nye came in as a reliable 3 and scored pretty steadily while Joseph held his end and refused to give up his wicket. Jason big highlight was Nye's 3 consecutive 6's in the 13th over.
He fell for 32 the following over.

Things were looking pretty good for Zimbabwe, 2-92 at drinks, but a big middle order collapse saw our innings come undone. Perrin fell for 18, Lukeman (1), Mlambo (5), Dic k dropped and then Pfizer (0) and all of a sudden Zimbabwe were 6-107 and things were looking dire.

Pennefather came in with a very handy 24 on debut, before D ick finally fell for 69 (nice).

The tailenders managed to get 26 runs before they finally fell and we were all out for 196.

Scotland started very strong withstanding the opening spells of the Zimbabwean quicks, but it wasn't until FS allrounder Keyran Pennefather came in on the 12th over that the first wicket fell. Scotland 1-42 and winning.

Another couple of quick wickets and some very economical bowling had Scotland at 3-87 at drinks requiring 110 more to win.

Vyress took 2 more wickets straight after drinks to put the pressure right onto Scotland, but a heroic efforts from Gavin Cochrane kepts them right in the game, his accumulator talent keeping their run rate up. A runout blunder was his undoing as he fell 15 runs short of his century with 85 runs.

Scotland still had some work to do, needing 47 runs from the last 10 overs with 6 wickets down, but the pressure was all on Zimbabwe to get the final wickets, and with 2 dropped catches in the 42nd and 43rd with had spectators thinking it was all over. Scotland still 6 down but only needing 23 from the final 6 overs.
But the Zimbabweans didn't give up, Muzadzi struck and Wenowdis was gone for 15. The tail was now exposed.

The next over Pennefather got Dewis out, the other batter. Now there was no batters left. Scotland needed 16 runs from 4 overs with no batsmen left.

But Maraire struck Keybum in the next over, now Scotland were 9 down, 14 runs required from 3 overs.

They hit 2 runs in the 48th over, 6 runs in the 49th over.
6 required in the final over against the finger spinner Pennefather.

2 dot 1 dot 1
2 required on the final ball, they got 1, Black turned for the 2nd screaming FREEDOM!!!! But fell short and was runout.

Match tied.

Man of the Match went to Scotland's Gavin Cochrane for his 85 from 111 balls.

Best Zimbabwean was Ko'orona Vyress with his 3-33
His first 5 overs were 1-8 which really helped put early pressure on the Scots.

[Madcarrot]

Game 2 - Netherlands
A Zimbabwean dominance

The game was getting started, the Dutch won the toss and their clogs came off as they set to continue with their strong performance from day 1.

But the Zimbabweans had other ideas.

Fast Bowler Andre Krige struck both openers out early and the Durch were 2-20 from the first 5 overs.
A few overs later Mvovo got his first ever international wicket, trapping wicket keeper Yoerri Cohnen LWB.

But it was his spell right before drinks that really opened up the game. Mvovo managed to get both set batsmen out right immediately before the break complemented by some great defensive bowling by Bea O'Problem to build pressure.

Finger spinner Kadziche struck immediately after drinks and the Dutch were in all sorts of trouble at 6-94 on the 26th over.

The Dutch tried to hold on but after Krige struck again, and a runout followed by another Mvovo wicket, O'Problem got the final wickets and the tail contributed nothing to the total.
Netherlands all out for 139 in the 39th over.

The Dutch did start the innings very strong getting all of the top 3 out.
Then came veteran Regis Mlambo.

He took 1 look at the Dutch quicks, and said. "Not today".
He stood his ground, refused to get out scoring 3 per over until drinks.
At the break the Dutch were 3-87 requiring 53 more to win.
Mlambo and Lukeman continue steadfastly until the 33rd over where Lukeman finally fell.
But by then it was too late, 16 required with 6 more wickets in hand and Mackenzie came to help finish the job.

Man of the Match went to Regis Mlambo with his 69*
Tawanda Mvovo was 2nd best on his debut 4-44 from 9 overs.

Our eyes now look to tomorrow against Ireland. Ireland are desperate to get a win after losing their first 2 games.
We can't get complacent now

[Madcarrot]

Ireland

The tale of 1 nation and its Dic k

This is the story of Zimbabwe and its Dic k

We came into this game seeing other nations posting scores of 300+ on the even pitch, so our main goal was to play more defensive and to try to keep those runs down.

Bowling first we were off to a good start with hero Hashim D ick taking a runout in the first over.

Ireland did get off to a bit of a slow start lasting until the 13th over before the next wicket fell at 2-41. But with an acceleration on both ends they finished 4-94 at drinks.

Their partnership lasted 11 more overs and 67 more runs before Muzadzi struck again, and while the run rate did increase, they finished 6 down and a score of 253.

And this is where a legend was born.

Manager Madcarrot walked calmly over to the openers, put his hand on his Dic k, and said. "Let's do this".

Hashim Di ck and Phil Pfizer to open, Pfizer dropped in the first over, and then caught on 4 in the 4th over.
Then Pennyfather was dropped on the 13th over, caught in the 15th over.
Sudomu falling for 1 run on the 14th over.
Zimbabwe 3-69 requiring 189 from 36 overs.

D ick was rising, not accepting a loss today, he soldiered on despite losing 2 more wickets before drinks. Zimbabwe needing 140 with 5 wickets in hand it was going to be a big ask, but Dic k is bigger.

Another dropped catch by the Irish, this time it was Mackenzie that was dropped on 6, and this time the Irish were punished for it. Mackenzie went on to score 50.

Now with the tail exposed and 66 runs to go it was still going to be a tough ask.

Kadziche dropped twice in 5 overs before falling and getting a valuable 16 before Dic k rammed it in home batting the entire 50 overs and getting 134*

What a man, what a hero, what a Dic k

Dream start for Zimbabwe, a win against England tomorrow will guarantee promotion

[Madcarrot]

I didn't write the other games but we won!

Zimbabwe goes undefeated through division 3 and promoted with a day to spare.

[Chezza]

Well done Carrot and team, great tour