Masakadza Century Sets Up Crushing Zimbabwe Win

Masakadza Century Sets Up Crushing Zimbabwe Win

Hamilton Masakadza hit a career-best as Zimbabwe piled on the runs in Harare.

©REUTERS/Mike Hutchings (SOUTH AFRICA). Picture supplied by Action Images

Zimbabwe 313-4 (Masakadza 156, Vermeulen 49) beat
Kenya 222 (Tikolo 49, Jarvis, Utseya 3-36) by 91 runs
Scorecard
1st One-Day International, Harare

Hamilton Masakadza thumped 156 to set up a convincing 91-run win for Zimbabwe over Kenya in their first One-Day International in Harare.

Zimbabwe posted 313 for four before bowling out Kenya for 222, debutant Kyle Jarvis and captain Prosper Utseya both returning three for 36.

Coming off the back of an ICC Intercontinental Cup win over the same opponents, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat, Masakadza putting on 121 for the first wicket with Mark Vermeulen (49).

Masakadza went on to hit 11 fours and six sixes, facing 151 balls in all, dismissed with seven balls of the innings remaining when he was run out by Steve Tikolo after completing his second ODI century and a career-high score, racing past his previous best of 102.

Charles Coventry (27) and Elton Chigumbura (25) both got in and got out quickly but an unbeaten cameo of 44 in 27 balls from Brendan Taylor ensured that there was no let up for the Kenyan bowlers, for whom Nehemiah Odhiambo was the most impressive in returning two for 45.

Kenya were quickly in trouble in reply when Jarvis removed openers David Obuya, trapped in front for 18 and Rakep Patel, caught by Coventry for 24.

Jarvis then took the catch to dismiss Alex Obanda for 19 as Chigumbura struck to reduce Kenya to 68 for three and from there they never recovered despite 49 from Steve Tikolo.

He hit three fours and a six before his dismissal, in the 32nd over, made the score 143 for six and the result a formality.

Kenya's lower order hit out as Zimbabwe allowed part-timers Stuart Matsikenyeri and Vermeulen to have a bowl; only Taylor and Coventry were not used with the ball and it fell to Vermeulen to end the match when he had Lameck Onyango (15) trapped in front with one ball of the match remaining, his first bowl in ODI cricket producing his first wicket.

Odhiambo had briefly entertained by hitting two fours and a six in an innings of 27 in 40 balls before being bowled by Utseya.

© Cricket World 2009

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