New Zealand’s Under 19 World Cup cricketers have hit the ground running in South Africa, pipping Zimbabwe by two runs in a pre-tournament, quadrangular series match at Kingsmead, Durban.
Defending 204 after being inserted, the young New Zealanders snared Zimbabwe’s last five wickets for just four runs to snatch the win with nine overs to spare, following a three-wicket burst from paceman David Hancock; some great support from left-armer Simon Keene, and a key run-out from skipper Jesse Tashkoff.
Zimbabwe had seemed well-placed midway through the chase, moving confidently to 198 for five in the 38th over before New Zealand went on a wicket-taking spree to suffocate the life out of the innings.
Hancock began the rescue mission in the 38th over, having both Taurai Tugwete and Gareth Chirawu caught at the wicket, and then bowled Nkosolathi Nungu in the 40th to leave Zimbabwe teetering at 198 for eight.
Keene, who maintained the pressure with a maiden in between Hancock’s strikes, then had Dylan Grant caught by Ollie White with no addition to the score, after which Taskoff ran out Zimbabwe’s danger man Dane Schadendorf, for 32, to complete the win.
New Zealand, which travelled to South Africa via Dubai, had arrived in the Republic only 48 hours before the match and found runs difficult to come by – the main contributions coming from man of the match Nicholas Lidstone (56), wicket-keeper Ben Pomare (32) and an invaluable, unbroken 52-run 10th wicket stand between Hancock (29*) and William O’Rourke (21*).
In the other match of the quadrangular series overnight, India Under 19s beat South Africa Under 19s by 66 runs.
New Zealand’s next match will be against South Africa on Sunday (RSA time).
