|
|
Zimbabwe XI 298 (Ervine 145) & 305-5 dec. (Sibanda 88) beat
Netherlands 186 (Barresi 81) & 280 (Seelaar 81no) by 137 runs
ICC Intercontinental Cup, Amstelveen
Zimbabwe XI sealed a 137-run win over the Netherlands on the final day of their ICC Intercontinental Cup clash in Amstelveen when the Dutch were bowled out for 280 having been set 418 to win.
Zimbabwe took the full 20 points from the fixture, a result that sees them equal with Kenya in third place on 43 points and with a game in hand on leaders Scotland and Afghanistan, who have 69 and 57 points respectively.
Craig Ervine's 145 and Stuart Matsikenyeri's 44 set up Zimbabwe's first-innings total of 298, to which the Netherlands replied by being bowled out for 186.
They were in desperate trouble at 78 for seven and only Wesley Barresi's 81 in 163 balls steered them towards respectability as Natsai Mushangwe took three for 47 and Ed Rainsford, Timycen Maruma and Nathan Waller all taking two wickets apiece.
Batting again, half-centuries from Matsikenyeri (68), Sibanda (88), Ervine (59 not out) and Regis Chakabva (54 not out in just 33 balls) enabled the visitors to declare on 305 for five, setting Netherlands a stiff target.
Eric Szwarczynski's 72 anchored their innings but they once again lost important middle-order wickets cheaply and the loss of Szwarczynski when he had begun to form a decent fifth-wicket partnership with Pieteer Seelaar, was the turning point.
Although Seelaar battled defiantly to reach an unbeaten 81 in 162 balls, aside from Peter Borren's 38, he could find little support and with the Dutch batting a man short, they were eventually bowled out in 94 overs with Timycen Maruma taking three for 44 and Rainsford two for 46.
© Cricket World 2010
Breaking news, score updates and interviews on Cricket World Live Radio, get the latest from Cricket World® with Facebook, twitter and YouTube, keep up with the action with the latest cricket TV highlights and interviews, enter our fantasy cricket competition and win some great prizes or play some fantastic cricket games.
