Zimbabwe's World Cup ends with big win

Zimbabwe 308 for 6 (Ervine 66, Sibanda 61, Taibu 53, Otieno 2-61) beat Kenya 147 (Odhiambo 44, Price 2-20, Lamb 2-21) by 161 runs

Zimbabwe's spinners completed the job started by their batsmen, sharing seven wickets as Kenya crumbled for 147 in pursuit of 308. This match was the last in the tournament for both teams, and with little but pride to play for, Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande had urged his team to give Steve Tikolo, playing his final game for his country, a fitting send off. It was not to be, however, as half-centuries from Tatenda Taibu, Vusi Sibanda and Craig Ervine carried Zimbabwe past 300 and Kenya's chase never got off the ground.

Chris Mpofu, the solitary specialist seamer in Zimbabwe's side, started Kenya's troubles by removing opener David Obuya in the first over, and three overs later Collins Obuya's run-out brought Tikolo to the crease for the final time in internationals. He got going with a couple of firm flicks to the deep-midwicket boundary but then played back to Price and was struck in line with leg stump to be sent on his way. In a touching sign of respect to the retiring Tikolo, the Zimbabweans rushed in to shake his hand and he left the field, clearly emotional, to a standing ovation from both teams and the smattering of spectators around the ground.

Alex Obanda, who appeared to have adjusted to the conditions and had progressed easily into the 20s, lost partner Tanmay Mishra to a top-edged sweep and soon followed him back to the pavilion as an arm ball from Price struck pad before bat as he stretched forward to defend. It was spin that did for Thomas Odoyo too, Greg Lamb ripping one past his defences as he played back in defence, and a successful review by Zimbabwe secued the dismissal.

Kenya were in the dire position of 73 for 6 when Odoyo was removed, and slipped even further when Rakep Patel slog-swept straight to Regis Chakabva at deep midwicket for the seventh wicket. Their rapid slide was briefly halted by Nehemiah Odhiambo, who swung his way merrily to an unbeaten 44, but it was only a matter of time before the tail capitulated completely.

Zimbabwe's innings had been built around two fluent partnerships. Sibanda and Taibu added 110 for the third wicket to help their team recover from a shaky start and lay a solid platform before Ervine and Chigumbura put on a rollicking 105 to boost the score out of Kenya's reach.

The batsmen initially struggled to impose themselves - after Chigumbura's decision to bat -on a cracked, dry surface that got slower and lower as the afternoon wore on. Odhiambo, who impressed with his pace and bounce against Australia in Bangalore, was brought on in the ninth over and with his sixth delivery achieved the breakthrough, a length delivery on a perfect line kissing the edge of Chakabva's bat on the way through to wicketkeeper David Obuya. Taylor followed soon after, playing too early as the ball stopped on the wicket to spoon an easy catch to mid-on as Zimbabwe slipped to 36 for 2.

Taibu and Sibanda were generally cautious as they set about constructing a partnership after the early wickets, but while the batting surface was not conducive to stroke-making the outfield remained very fast and both batsmen were quick to seize on the bad ball. While Sibanda was more orthodox in his shots, Taibu was characteristically innovative, twice reverse-sweeping offspinner James Ngoche to the boundary.

Kenya wasted both their reviews to contested lbw decisions in an effort to break the stand, but both Sibanda and Taibu barely offered a chance to the bowlers in the course of their partnership and Sibanda, in particular, soon began to take the attack to the bowlers. He reached a 54-ball half-century in the 28th over with an elegant loft over long-on but could have been run out immediately afterwards due a late decision from Taibu to turn a quick single down.

There had been several occasions of uncertainty in the running during the partnership, and one over later atrocious running finally cost Sibanda his wicket. Taibu was the man at fault, initially setting off before opting against the run, and with both batsmen at one end Sibanda didn't even bother to attempt to make it back to safety.

Zimbabwe's momentum barely dipped despite the wicket, however, and two overs later Taibu brought up his own fifty - and passed 3,000 runs in one-day internationals - with a scything cut to backward point. He paid the price for one cheeky reverse-sweep too many, trapped leg before for 53, but his dismissal brought Ervine and Chigumbura together for the decisive stand of the innings.

Once both had settled, they began to ping the boundary with ease and Ervine rushed to his fifty from just 46 balls in the midst of a batting Powerplay that yielded 50 runs and the wicket of Chigumbura - caught at long-on for a rapid 38. With 300 in sight, Ervine chopped a drive onto his own stumps but Lamb and Utseya continued the charge in fine style.

Zimbabwe wanted more from their World Cup campaign, but their resounding wins over Canada and Kenya will at least lend credence to their claim that they're too good to be lumped with the Associates as they look forward to a return to Test cricket. The end of Kenya's trip to India also marks something of a new beginning for them, and without Tikolo in their middle order it is now up to a clutch of promising youngsters to rebuild for what is, hopefully, a brighter future.

Pakistan bowlers seal quarter-final qualification

Pakistan 164 for 3 (Shafiq 78*, Hafeez 49, Price 2-21) beat Zimbabwe 151 for 7 (39.4/39.4 ov) (Ervine 52, Chigumbura 32*, Gul 3-36) by seven wickets (D/L method)

	Asad Shafiq's unbeaten 78 guided Pakistan to victory after the bowlers set up modest chase © Associated Press

Pakistan made the most of Elton Chigumbura's generous offer to bat first to secure a seven-wicket victory in a rain-reduced fixture at Pallekele and rubber-stamp their quarter-final place. The dank skies delivered two huge downpours that meant Duckworth-Lewis made its first appearance of the tournament in another one-sided Group A fixture.

With the damp pitch and heavy cloud cover Pallekele resembled an early-spring Headingley and Pakistan's bowlers thrived in the helpful conditions. They entered the game on the back of a 110-run hammering on the same ground by New Zealand, but rediscovered their focus to reduce Zimbabwe to 157 for 7 when a second rain delay brought a premature end to the innings. Asad Shafiq then helped himself to an unbeaten 78 in his first World Cup match to steer Pakistan to an easy victory.

Shoaib Akhtar was dropped after his shambolic showing in the previous match and, having struggled for new-ball scalps through the tournament, the opening pair of Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq made three inroads in the first six overs which set the tone for the remainder of the day.

Razzaq, who was flogged for 49 in four overs against New Zealand, landed the key blow in the first over when he had Brendan Taylor caught behind for 5. Taylor would be forgiven for thinking himself unlucky because it was Pakistan's calamitous wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal who held chance. Kamran had put down an almost identical one off Ross Taylor last Tuesday but here, to the palpable relief of all his team-mates, he made no mistake.

If that was impressive enough, Misbah-ul-Haq's catch at slip to remove Vusi Sibanda, demonstrated a rare sharpness in the field as he moved swiftly to his right to pluck the sharp chance out the air. With the ball darting around and Gul generating good pace it looked as though Zimbabwe would subside swiftly, but Craig Ervine resisted with a gutsy half-century, finding support from Greg Lamb and later Chigumbura, who made his second-highest score in 19 matches as captain with an unbeaten 32.

Ervine was the most assured of the Zimbabwe players but was gifted a life on 13 when Misbah undid his earlier good work by fluffing a simple chance off Razzaq. The dark clouds had threatened all afternoon and finally let rip in the 28th over with a tropical downpour. On most grounds it would have been enough to end proceedings for the day, but a collection of huge covers and an army of groundstaff combined to get the entire outfield protected and play resumed after 90 minutes.

The delay freshened up an already sprightly surface and Ervine fell five balls after completing his fifty. It left Chigumbura to try and atone for his earlier decision to bat and he was looking in good order when rain returned to close the innings prematurely, setting a modest target of 162 from 38 overs.

Pakistan laboured somewhat early on in a straightforward chase before Shafiq took control. Ahmed Shehzad's miserable tournament continued when he ran past a flighted Ray Price delivery to fall for 8. He now has a highest score of 13 from five knocks this World Cup which, after starring in Pakistan's 3-2 series victory in New Zealand that preceded the tournament, is a major disappointment.

Instead it was his Mohammad Hafeez who steadied the early innings with 49. After Hafeez fell, Shahid Afridi promoted himself up the order but his search for batting form continued as he landed a couple of sweeps before missing a cut to give an ecstatic Price his second wicket

Shafiq, in the side head of Umar Akmal, began very quietly and had 5 from 26 deliveries before finding the boundary for the first time. He added 41 from his next 49 balls to bring up a composed half-century and ensure no alarms.

After Afridi's predictable blow-out Younis Khan partnered Shafiq to guide Pakistan over the line and into the quarter-finals with a 54-run stand. It means Group A's qualifiers are settled and the ICC can only be thankful Group B has been exciting enough to keep the elongated opening phase interesting. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Dilshan, Tharanga take Sri Lanka into quarterfinals

Sri Lanka 327 for 6 (Dilshan 144, Tharanga 133) beat Zimbabwe 188 (Taylor 80, Dilshan 4-4) by 139 runs

	Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a century and then picked up four wickets as well © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Matches: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Pallekele Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe

When Elton Chigumbura chose to bowl in Pallekele, to avoid his spinners having to struggle with a dew-soaked ball, little did he think his team would fail to take a wicket for 44.3 overs. But Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga batted forever, notching up the first double-century opening partnership in World Cup history, and their hundreds set up Sri Lanka's victory, officially securing their place in the quarter-finals.

The result was a foregone conclusion once Sri Lanka scored 327 but there was a flutter of hope in the Zimbabwe camp when Brendan Taylor was at the forefront of the pursuit. He combined orthodoxy and innovation during an aggressive half-century, taking advantage of a wayward Sri Lankan pace attack. The hosts gathered themselves, though, and struck twice at the other end after a century opening stand. Taylor eventually departed for 80 in the 25th over, and with him ended Zimbabwe's improbable chances.

The struggle of Zimbabwe's batsmen was in contrast to the ease with which Dilshan and Tharanga had entertained a packed house. They started at top speed, taking 84 of the first 11 overs by playing a shot a minute, and then shifted to a lower gear, bleeding Zimbabwe steadily and so easily through the middle overs. There were regular bursts of acceleration later in the innings and a concerted push during the final ten overs. At no stage were they bothered and rarely has a bowling performance looked so toothless - Chris Mpofu's shout after striking Tharanga's pad with the first ball of the game was the only appeal against the openers. Tired shots, rather than incisive bowling, brought about the dismissal of Tharanga and then Dilshan, and more middle-order wickets fell as batsmen came, swung and pushed the total beyond 300.

Tharanga threaded the fourth ball through point with a square drive and Sri Lanka were away. For the first time in the tournament Chigumbura did not use Ray Price with the brand new ball and gave the second over to Tinashe Panyangara. It was a costly decision as Dilshan ran amok, driving the full balls, and cutting and pulling the short ones to take 18 runs off the over.

Smart Stats The 282-run opening partnership between Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga is the highest opening stand in World Cups going past the 194-run stand between Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti in the 1999 semi-final. Tharanga has been involved in five 200-plus stands in ODIs. The record opening stand is also the second-highest stand for the opening wicket in ODIs only behind the 286 stand between Sanath Jayasuriya and Tharanga against England. It is also the fourth-highest partnership for anywicket in ODIs and the second highest in World Cups. Sri Lanka's 327 is their third-highest total in a World Cupgame and their tenth best in ODIs. It is also their highest total against Zimbabwe in ODIs. The 116-run stand between Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva is the highest opening stand for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in ODIs and their fifth-highest for any wicket in World Cups. Dilshan became only the second player after Feiko Kloppenburg of Netherlands to score a century and take four wickets in a World Cup game. Overall, in ODIs, Dilshan is the 11th player to achieve the feat. It is also Dilshan's first century in World Cups. The 139-run margin is Sri Lanka's fifth-largest victory margin in World Cups and the largest against Zimbabwe in World Cup games. The 398 runs aggregated by both opening pairs is the highest in an ODI surpassing the 368 runs aggregated in the match between Sri Lanka and England in 2006. Dilshan's figures of 4 for 4 is the best bowling by a Sri Lankan spinner in World Cups and the tenth-best overall for a spinner in World Cup games. This was the first time in World Cups and the 22nd timeoverall in ODIs that both openers scored centuries in an innings.

There was no let-up in Sri Lanka's pace during the mandatory Powerplay, off which they scored 77. Dilshan and Tharanga slashed through point, pulled through square and then drove when the length was too full, punishing everyone who bowled at them. When Price was brought on in the fifth over, Dilshan skipped down and drove him inside out through cover.

Not until the 12th and 13th over was there spin from both ends and then Price bowled the innings' first maiden. The spin trio of Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer began to exercise more control over the run-rate, which dipped below six for the first time in the 19th, but they failed to take a wicket. Tharanga and Dilshan seamlessly shifted to a lower gear and focused on accumulation.

Zimbabwe's spinners had conceded only 76 runs off 17 overs when Chigumbura gave pace another run by bringing himself on. Dilshan slapped a wide offering through cover to move to 99 and then reached his century off 95 balls, his first in World Cups. Panyangara returned and Tharanga immediately lofted over mid-off and pulled past fine leg. Sri Lanka took 30 off overs 31-33.

Tharanga and Dilshan broke Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti's World Cup record of 194 for the first wicket and then became the first openers to score hundreds in the same World Cup innings. They reached 200 in 33.4 overs. During the batting Powerplay, taken in the 41st over, Tharanga's inside-out play through cover was exquisite. With the highest opening partnership in ODIs - 286 between Sanath Jayasuriya and Tharanga at Headingley 2006 - within striking distance, Tharanga holed out to deep cover, bringing Zimbabwe some relief. Dilshan followed in the next over, leaving the finishing touches to his well-rested team-mates.

As impressive as Sri Lanka's display was, Taylor played some of the best shots of the game. Using Malinga's pace, Taylor flicked a low full toss to the backward square-leg boundary, pushed a wide one through covers and chipped a short one over Kumar Sangakkara's head. There was only touch and timing in those shots, no power. Taylor got to his fifty off 39 balls and carried on batting aggressively.

Muttiah Muralitharan came on only in the 16th over, after the bowling Powerplay was completed, and in the 20th he spun a doosra on to Regis Chakabva's off stump, ending the opening stand on 116. Tatenda Taibu was bent on reverse-sweeping Murali whenever he could, and got away with it. He didn't get away with edging Angelo Mathew though, and Sangakkara dived to his right to take the catch inches off the ground.

Those two wickets set back Zimbabwe's chase considerably, and Taylor's dismissal was the definitive blow. On 80, he chipped a slower ball from Angelo Mathews straight to midwicket and the contest was over. Dilshan returned to torment Zimbabwe, picking up four batsmen - his finishing touches on a terrific game. And Murali, playing his final ODI in front of his home crowd, took the final wicket. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Familiar failings for Zimbabwe

	Brendan Taylor top-scored for Zimbabwe with 44 but that sort of application was sadly lacking elsewhere© Getty Images

Such a toothless batting performance by Zimbabwe. Should the ICC see fit to approve a qualifying tournament for the 2015 World Cup, on this evidence Zimbabwe will be hard pressed to make it through to the main event.

Take a glance at the modes of dismissal: Charles Coventry wastes his wicket with indecision leading to a run out in only the second over, Tatenda Taibu spoons a catch and gets a reprieve but the very next ball has plays across an inswinger, Craig Ervine then slashes into the hands of deep point against a short and wide delivery knowing there were four men patrolling the off side, Elton Chigumbara, gets into a tangle against Daniel Vettori and next ball Regis Chakabva edges a wide delivery to slip.

It was a perfect batting pitch, on which Vettori thought 300 was possible. Zimbabwe knew it was a must-win game to entertain hopes of a quarter-final berth. They went into the game saying it was the most important match. They elected to bat. Then they went on to make mistakes they should not even commit in the nets.

The easy conclusion to come to is that Zimbabwe have not improved much despite all the positive talk of recent times. Yet that isn't the case. It is easy to forget that most players in the squad are inexperienced. Many were thrown into deep and treacherous water by the administrators immediately after the rebels' protest during the 2003 World Cup, which led to the disintegration of the squad that had been built over a longer period of time.

Though there are quite a few players in the present squad who played in the Caribbean in 2007, most were, and are still, ill-equipped to deal with the pressures of international cricket. Only the likes of Taibu, Chigumbara, Taylor, Prosper Utseya and Ray Price have played against top-level opponents and kept their head on something approaching a regular basis.

Part of the problem is a lack of exposure as Zimbabwe have barely played top sides in the past few years and most of their success has had to come against Associates. When they visited Bangladesh late last year, a side they needed to compete against to show their development, they lost 3-1. Since May 2007, Zimbabwe have not won an ODI series against any major opponent, only beating Kenya and Ireland.

Their most notable performance against higher-ranked countries was to enter the final of the tri-series at home in 2010, but even if those were second-string sides from India and Sri Lanka, there was an important lesson there. Zimbabwe dared and made the final. But they blinked when the big moment arrived. It was the same when they pushed South Africa to the brink in two Twenty20 internationals then failed at the last hurdle. That trend has not changed much. Against Canada, last week, they were struggling at 7 for 2 with both their openers out yet they won the match by a 175-run margin.

"It is always hard against a bigger team. We had lost two wickets against Canada but we recovered," Chigumbara said. "It is very disappointing. The way we started with our batting - it is always hard to come back from losing three to four quick wickets in the first 15 overs. Today it was more about the technical errors."

Unfortunately Chigumbara's words seem to be falling on deaf ears. On Wednesday, he abruptly stopped training and had a loud message for the batsmen who were split into two sets nets. One set was facing the quick bowlers while the other was lined up against spinners on a worn pitch and Chigumbara had been watching the batsmen play casually. "I was telling them if the wicket is not playing proper make sure you apply yourselves. There is no point getting out three or four times [in the nets] as then you are doing nothing. [In the matches] most guys have got 10 runs and get out. But if they get their eye in, they are capable of scoring."

Seen in isolation, Zimbabwe batsmen played like amateurs today. Yet in the big picture, Zimbabwe have actually improved between the World Cups. And that only makes this defeat more painful.

Spinners dominate in 175-run win

Zimbabwe 298 for 9 (Taibu 98, Ervine 85, Rao 4-57) beat Canada 123 (Surkari 26, Price 3-16, Cremer 3-31) by 175 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Man of the Match Tatenda Taibu top-scored with 98 and then completed two stumpings as Zimbabwe romped to a 175-run win © Getty Images

Zimbabwe's spinners made sure a record third-wicket partnership between Tatenda Taibu and Craig Ervine didn't go to waste, maintaining an asphyxiating grip on Canada's batsmen to secure a 175-run win in Nagpur. Taibu and Ervine's stand, which is Zimbabwe's highest for the third wicket in ODIs and their fifth largest overall, helped their team recover from a decidedly shaky start to reach 298 for 8 on a good batting wicket. While the ascendancy had swung between the two teams in the first innings Zimbabwe's slow bowlers assumed full control in the afternoon, sharing 37.1 overs and all ten wickets as Canada were bowled out in the 43rd over.

Despite needing practically a-run-a-ball from the start Canada would still have begun their batting effort with the belief that an upset was not impossible. What was needed was a positive start by their opening pair, theunlikely couple of veteran batsman John Davison and the comparatively foetal Nitish Kumar who, at 40 and 16 respectively, are the oldest and youngest players at this tournament.

Davison looked to attack Ray Price - who shared the new ball once again - almost immediately but ran straight past a flighted delivery that straightened just enough to clip the top of off stump. Things got worse for Canada four overs later when, in consecutive deliveries, Price stuck out his left hand and held onto a chipped drive to get rid of Kumar and Ashish Bagai swept straight to short backward square. Jimmy Hansra safely negotiated the hat-trick ball but the damage had been done with Canada staring into the precipice at 7 for 3.

Hansra and 19-year-old Ruvindu Gunasekara clung gamely to the crease for a while, but the required rate rose steadily as the slow bowlers strengthened their stranglehold. As the frustration rose Hansra again used his feet to Utseya but this time an arm ball rushed past the outside edge and he was easily stumped for a 41-ball 20.

Gunasekara followed in the very next over, bottom-edging an attempted late cut onto his own stumps, and when the big-hitting Rizwan Cheema mis-hit a full toss straight to short fine leg Canada were 66 for 6 and the match was over as a contest. With the pitch exhibiting increasingly extravagant turn legspinner Graeme Cremer was unleashed on the lower order, and both Tyson Gordon and Khurram Chohan were flummoxed by his subtle variations in flight and spin.

Zubin Surkari briefly held Zimbabwe at bay, gritting out a brave 26 before he fell to a leg-side stumping. Cremer wrapped up the innings an over later, ripping one through Balaji Rao's defences to claim his third wicket.

Smart Stats Brendan Taylor became the seventh batsman to be dismissed off the first ball in a World Cup game. Three of the dismissals have come against Zimbabwe. Tatenda Taibu's 98 is the first instance of a Zimbabwe batsman being dismissed in the nineties in a World Cup game and the 32nd instance overall of a batsman beingdismissed in the nineties in a World Cup match. Taibu's 98 was his third-highest score in ODIs and his 17th fifty overall. In 14 matches since June 2010, he has scored 564 runs with five half-centuries. The 181-run partnership between Taibu and Craig Irvine is the highest partnership for Zimbabwe in World Cups, surpassing the 166-run stand between Grant Flower and Craig Wishart against Namibia in 2003. It is also the fifth-highest stand for Zimbabwe in ODIs overall. Zimbabwe's 298 is their fourth-highest total in a World Cup game. They have 18 scores over 300 in ODIs. Zimbabwe's 175-run win is their largest in World Cups and their fourth largest in ODIs overall. The margin of defeat is also the second largest for Canada in World Cups.

Canada had been able to put up much more of a challenge with the ball, legspinner Rao picking up career-best figures of 4 for 57 as Zimbabwe were kept under pressure on either side of Taibu and Ervine's partnership. There was a real buzz in the field when Brendan Taylor and Charles Coventry were removed within the first four overs - Taylor pinned in front of his stumps by a Khurram Chohan inswinger on the very first ball of the day - but as the shine faded and the sun baked all life from the wicket the batsmen settled in and a large total loomed.

After seeing off the new ball Taibu took two boundaries from offspinner Jimmy Hansra's first over, another brace from his second, to calm Zimbabwe's nerves. He barely dipped below a-run-a-ball thereafter, bringing up a 46-ball fifty in the 15th over and playing with increasing fluency. Ervine, who made a cautious start to his innings with 17 from his first 35 balls, eventually began to pick up the tempo too and used a variety of sweep shots against the spinners to good effect as the partnership passed 100.

It appeared Zimbabwe had assumed full control once more, but as the ball softened it began to grip the surface and Rao got the breakthrough with one that bounced a little more than Ervine was expecting, ricocheting off the shoulder of the bat and the pad and looping up for wicketkeeper Bagai to complete a good catch. Ervine had reached 85, his highest score in ODIs, but his dismissal sparked another collapse and when Taibu top-edged a sweep to be out for 98 Zimbabwe were 201 for 5.

Rao had luck on his side in nipping Greg Lamb and Sean Williams out, Lamb chopping a long-hop onto his own stumps and Williams gloving a sweep to give Bagai the chance to take a third smart catch, diving forward. Zimbabwe were precariously placed at 240 for 7 at that point and were thankful for an enterprising 41-run stand between Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer, which gave the score took a sheen of respectability after a stuttering start and a middle-order wobble. As it turned out, their score was more than enough against a Canadian line-up that showed precious little competency in combating an unrelenting hydra of spin.

Aus vs Zim: Australia defeat Zimbabwe by 91 runs

Australia registered 24th consecutive victory in the World Cup after crushing Zimbabwe by 91 runs at Sardar Patel, Gujarat Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad on Monday.

In pic: Mitchell Johnson is congratulated on dismissing Tatenda Taibu © Associated Press

Ricky Ponting still unbeaten at the World Cup under his captaincy (23).

Chasing a total of 263 runs, Zimbabwe just managed to score 171/10 in 46.2 overs. G Cremer was the top scorer with 37 runs.

For Australia, Mitchell Johnson took four wickets and spared just 19 runs. Tait and Krejza scalped two batsmen each while Lee and David Hussey claimed one wicket each.

Electing to bat first, Australia set 263/6 runs target before Zimbabwe to win the match here at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera Ahmedabad.

It was the much improved bowling performance by Zimbabwe against Australia. Zimbabwean spinners didn’t allow Australian openers Shane Watson and Brad Haddin to provide flying start.

However, Watson and Clarke smashed fifty to guide their side towards fighting total. Watson made 79 while Clarke was unbeaten for 58 runs.

For Zimbabwe, Christopher Mpofu claimed two wickets while P Utseya, R OPrice and G Cremer took one wickets each.

Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and decided to bat first against Zimbabwe here at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad on Monday.

Surprisingly, Australia has decided to play with two spinners, Hason Krejza and Steve Smith. It is believed that Australia wants to check the performance of both the spinners ahead of big matches.

“There is no injuries in the side, this is good news. Guys are excited to kick start the World Cup campaign in style,” Ponting said after winning the toss.

Teams:

Aus: Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, CL White, David Hussey, SPD Smith, Mitchell Johnson, JW Hastings, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee.

Zim: BRM Taylor, CK Coventry, T Taibu, SC Williams, CR Ervine, E Chigumbura, P Utseya, R Chakabva, AG Cremer, GA Lamb, RW Price


Aus vs Zim: Match preview

A positive looking Australia has aimed winning start against Zimbabwe on Monday.

The defending champions will start their world cup 2011 campaign against Zimbabwe at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad.

For the first time, Ricky Ponting-led Australian team has been playing World Cup without favourite tag.

However, Aussies are aiming a record fourth consecutive World Cup title win. Despite of slump in rankings and poor performances in last two years, the expectations are high from the kangaroos.

As far as today’s match is concerned, it would be a cakewalk for the Aussies. It will be interesting to see, whether trouble-hit Zimbabwe put some fight before Australia or not.

Read more at: http://english.samaylive.com/sports-news/cricket/world-cup-2011/676482779/aus-vs-zim-australia-defeat-zimbabwe-by-91-runs.html?cp