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SuperSport Challenge, 1st Match, Day Three

Fri, 23/11/2007 - 13:37 — admin

South African Composite XI 288 (Hector 79, Maruma 4/68) & 137/2 (Snijman 70, Brent 1/11), Zimbabwe 493 (Utseya 115*, Symes 4/191). Composite trail by 68 runs with 8 wickets in hand.
A great morning's work by the Zimbabweans, with Utseya gaining a deserved century along the way to their eventual total of 493 - an innings lead of 205. From there, it was up to the bowlers to take some early wickets and help keep the total that Zim will need to chase down to a minimum, and with Cook falling with the score on just 12 it seemed that the visitors would get what they wanted. Unfortunately, Snijman and Hector spoiled the party with a 2nd-wicket partnership of 113 - Brent broke the partnership by clean-bowling Snijman shortly before the close, but Composite were able to put on 137/2 by close of play, leaving them with a deficit of just 68 and 8 wickets still in hand.

Zimbabwe's aim for the final day is clear - they'll be looking to dismiss Composite as quickly as possible to leave themselves with a chasable total come their own turn to bat again. I've got much more faith in Zim's bowlers than their batsmen, so I'd have to say there's a possibility of Zim winning this - although at this stage the draw is probably the most likely result.

Comments

Sat, 24/11/2007 - 04:02 — brmtaylor.com admin (not verified)

Good to see you are back for the final session maehara :)

I've been fortunate enough to follow the progress of day 3 since the beginning, if you want I have posted a lot of updates which you are free to look at on my homepage. Not the same as being live, but hopefully it eases the pain of not getting the updates as they happened :)

I think you will notice that I am quite annoyed at the teams failure to declare. Unlike you, I actually have more confidence in the batting lineup than the bowlers. I would have preferred we gave ourselves as much time as possible to dismiss SAC XI, because after the way they played, Zimbabwe don't deserve a draw. With Robin Brown more attacking than Curran, I was expecting an early declaration, with maybe a lead of between 50 and 100, so I was extremely surprised that we go into the second innings with a lead of over 200.

Well done to Utseya on his maiden FC century, thoroughly deserves. It leaves only Maruma in the current lineup without a FC hundred, and the way he played today suggests it will only be a matter of time. Fantastic batting performance, a shame they didn't hit the 500 mark.

Sat, 24/11/2007 - 09:41 — maehara (not verified)

I was just getting a quick post in while I was home for lunch. :) Saw your posts during the early sessions - I can see the argument for an early declaration, but I kinda see it a different way. I don't claim to be a cricketing tactical genius, but here's what I was thinking:

I would only declare in the first innings if you were batting first and had built up enough of a total (500-600) that you were happy you would have a chance of dismissing the other side twice without having to bat again. In Zim's case here, batting second, it makes more sense to me to build up whatever you can - especially if you're batting lineup is fragile. There's no guarantee of the side firing again in the second innings, so get what you can on the scorecard now, and only declare when you reach a point where you're running out of time. The aim here is to make sure your total-to-chase is as small as possible - it would be more in Zim's favour to have a small total they can chase down Twenty20 style, than a large one where they have to work the ball and where they're more vulnerable to collapse.

From the point they were bowled out, Zim have essentially given themselves 3 session to bowl Composite out, and one session to chase the resulting total. If they're to be considered good enough for a Test return, that should be enough, and certainly the bowlers we're playing in this match have the ability to do their bit (although their performance in the final session today worries me a bit). They should still be looking to win this one.

But you know what? It doesn't matter if they don't - in terms of making their point and proving that they're on the up, the draw would be enough and would be a marker they can build from in the remaining two games. On the basis of their performance so far in this match, Zimbabwe could potentially win this series, but as long as they don't lose it they'll have proved a point to the nay-sayers.

Sat, 24/11/2007 - 22:21 — brmtaylor.com admin (not verified)

I'm sure ZC will be pushing to make the next 2 games 5-day affairs. I can't see Zimbabwe losing from here, unless SAC XI make a sporting declaration and bowl Zimbabwe out for 90 odd (which happened in the SL A games if I recall... :() so no matter what happens, they have at least proven a point.

The fact that they posted nearly 500 says a lot too - Masakadza almost made a hundred, Utseya did. And everyone else bar Matsikenyeri and Chibhabha made starts.

I was very impressed by Timycen Maruma, nearly a 100 runs 11th wicket stand. Embarrasing for SAC XI - I haven't seen such a good lower order partnership since McGrath and Gillespie against New Zealand when McGrath made 61.

I forget if it was you or me, I think it was me, that said that playing Chigumbura as a specialist bowler was strange, but it certainly paid off. They had a really short tail, and it worked, with batting right to the end. A shame Maruma didn't make a half century - in fact, Taibu, Taylor and Chigumbura all deserved 50's.

I hope they win, but a draw is a decent result. To think that this lineup doesn't have Sean Williams, our best FC player (avg up in the high 40's), or the returning Ray Price, and you have to think that this team has quite a bit of potential in the years to come.

Taylor, Sibanda, Chibhabha, Taibu, Williams, Masakadza, Chigumbura, Cremer, Utseya, Brent, Price.

What a great, talented team. My only concern is that it is top heavy with spin, there is a reliance on Chigumbura and Brent - just as there was in this game. Having said that, Price is arguably world class, and I'm tipping Cremer, despite what Cricinfo say, to be the next wrist spin genius.

Also worth noting that every player in that above lineup has a FC hundred.