da cassino online： As expected on current form, Australia beat Zimbabwe in the first of threeone-day internationals, by 83 runs
John Ward21-Oct-1999As expected on current form, Australia beat Zimbabwe in the first of threeone-day internationals, by 83 runs. A powerful batting performance by thetourists was challenged only by Neil Johnson of Zimbabwe, who scoredanother century to add to that in the World Cup final.Zimbabwe went into this match with a seriously weakened bowlingline-up – to call it an ‘attack’ would perhaps be an exaggeration. Theirthree pace bowlers, David Mutendera, Gary Brent and Andy Blignaut, wentinto the match with 8 one-day international appearances between them andonly 3 wickets.Heath Streak, for so long the backbone of the attack, was unfit with astrained knee after his exertions in the Harare Test; John Rennie split thewebbing in his hand; Bryan Strang is considered too slow and predictablefor one-day matches, while Henry Olonga is considered too fast andunpredictable. Had Olonga shown any sort of form in Harare, though, hemight have been included as the only bowler with the ability to cut throughthe opposition.On winning the toss Alistair Campbell decided to bat, probablyreluctant to put undue pressure on his batsmen by expecting them to build abig total with few resources to defend it. A boundary came in each of thefirst three overs, two to Mark Waugh and one to Adam Gilchrist. In thefifth over the openers decided the time was ripe to get the ones and twosticking over, and the score began to mount steadily. Australia reached 39in the seventh over when Mutendera took his first wicket in his thirdone-day international, when Gilchrist slashed a short ball wide of GrantFlower at backward point, only for the fielder to dive to his left and holda brilliant low catch.Ricky Ponting came in and looked in good form from the start. Thefifty came up with the last ball of the ninth over. Ponting kept the scoremoving and hit Blignaut for two fours in an over, driving him through thecovers and then flicking him high over midwicket. Waugh too lookedimpressive, and played a stroke of sheer brilliance as he stepped down thepitch to Mutendera and smashed him over his head for a one-bounce four; twoballs later he drove to the extra-cover boundary, Alistair Campbellmisfielding, and then turned him past midwicket for another. WithAustralia taking full control, the score after 15 overs was 85 for one(Waugh 45, Ponting 19).The two batsmen, who already hold the record second-wicket partnershipof 219 for their country against Zimbabwe in one-day internationals, mademerry with the toothless Zimbabwean bowling. As in the Test, though,limited bowling resources were made to look worse due to dropped catches.Immediately after reaching his fifty, Ponting drove a catch to midwicketand Grant Flower dropped a chance above his head — hard, but lessdifficult than the one he had taken earlier. Off the very next ball hefaced Ponting gave another chance to Gavin Rennie at long leg, the ballpopping out of his hands over the boundary for six.Thus encouraged, the batsmen continued to plunder the bowling almostat will. Waugh, having become the first Australian to pass 500 one-dayinternational runs against Zimbabwe, reached his second century againstthem in successive matches with a glided single to deep midwicket. FinallyPonting fell, drawn forward by Andrew Whittall, dragging his toe over theline to be smartly stumped for 67 off 90 balls. Australia were now 198 fortwo, after a partnership of 159.This seemed to inspire the Zimbabwean fielders. Two quick singlesboth required the third umpire to adjudicate after superb fielding, thenMark Waugh turned a ball past square leg and failed to beat a superbpick-up and throw from Rennie as he attempted a second run. This time thereplay showed him out, for 106 off 96 balls; he hit 11 fours and 2 sixes,and the total was 201 for three.Steve Waugh soon got the score moving again, but Zimbabwe’s disease ofdropsy continued as he hit a hard return catch to Andrew Whittall, whichwas put down. Probably thinking anything in the air was safe, Waughproceeded to hit the next ball right down the throat of long-off, but hehad chosen the wrong fielder in Neil Johnson, who held it safely to dismisshim for 14; Australia were 223 for four, and in the 40th over.Damien Martyn hit out from the start, while Bevan on 14 enjoyedanother life, dropped by Grant Flower in the gully. Flower used to be oneof the world’s finest all-round fielders, but he has been sadlyinconsistent since the end of the last home season. Martyn took most ofthe limelight, with some powerful strokes, including a six over midwicketoff Whittall and a heave over mid-on off Brent which brought up the fiftypartnership.Andy Flower again effected the breakthrough, standing up to themedium-pace of Brent and bringing off a brilliant leg-side stumping off aball that was called a wide. He made 25, and Australia were 280 for five.Martyn continued to attack, and cut Blignaut for a fierce boundary; AndrewSymonds, trying to copy the stroke, hit a low catch straight to GrantFlower at backward point to be out for 1; Australia 292 for six.Martyn ran to a dashing fifty off 34 balls, finishing with 55 and TomMoody with 5 not out; Australia finished with 303 for six after their 50overs.The only remaining question, it appeared, was whether Zimbabwe couldplay well enough to lose with dignity. Neil Johnson was prepared tobelieve they could. He had a full drive at Glenn McGrath’s first ball ofthe innings and found four runs through a thick edge past the slips, andcontinued to go for his shots for the rest of the over. For Grant Flowerit was a different matter. From the first ball he faced, from DamienFleming, he went on a rather half-hearted drive on the off side and edged asimple catch to the keeper. Zimbabwe were 7 for one.Johnson continued to take on the Australian bowlers, hammering Flemingto the extra-cover boundary and off-driving McGrath for four. As usual, helived dangerously, but while he was batting the match could never be dull.He hit Fleming spectacularly to the third-man boundary and then turned himwide of midwicket for three off the next ball.Goodwin too was settling in well, especially adept at nudging orchopping the ball down to third man to keep the strike circulating. WhenMoody replaced McGrath Johnson him high over midwicket for four, and thenhit Andrew Symonds’ second ball back over his head to the sightscreen andhis fourth to the long-leg boundary. Zimbabwe appear to have become rathertoo reliant on him, but the responsibility seems to rest lightly on hisshoulders. He pulled Moody over deep square leg for six, although not toofar from a marauding fielder, and then drove him straight down the groundfor another four. The crowd, by now filled almost to capacity, came aliveas he continued his onslaught.Goodwin was keen to have a share in the action, but only hit Symondsright down the throat of Martyn at long leg. He scored 19, and Zimbabwewere 69 for two. Campbell’s run of poor scores continued, as he slashed atSymonds and hit a high catch straight to Ponting at backward point. Hescored 6, and Zimbabwe were 77 for three.Johnson duly reached his fifty, scored of 52 balls, with a canteredsingle as Andy Flower settled in. He enjoyed some luck, getting a top edgeto a sweep which flew over the keeper’s head to the boundary. ThenShane Warne came on to bowl, and he and McGrath put a brake on the scoring,which naturally resulted in a rise in Zimbabwe’s required run rate. Flowerlost patience and concentration, coming down the pitch to Warne and gettingstumped easily for 11. Zimbabwe were now 106 for four in the 25th over.Johnson finally broke the shackles, hitting Warne high over extracover for four, and runs began to come more freely again. McGrath sufferedthe indignity of being driven over his head for six. Then he got away witha cheeky reverse sweep that beat backward point for four, and a pull thatjust evaded long leg, dropping a metre inside the boundary. It wascertainly a case of fortune favouring the brave.Rennie also batted well until falling to another of Zimbabwe’s foolishrun-outs. Johnson cut Bevan to backward point; Rennie called for a veryquick run but Johnson turned back and Rennie ran through to be run out asSteve Waugh threw to the bowler’s end. Rennie scored 22, and Zimbabwe were162 for five.The crowd burst into spontaneous applause as Johnson, on 99, faced upto Warne for the 45th over. He pushed the ball out on the off side and GuyWhittall, eager to give him his century, backed up too far. A shy at thestumps at the bowler’s end missed, and the batsmen ran through for two asthe crowd erupted. Zimbabwe were 172 for five, and Johnson’s century hadcome off 114 balls.Johnson celebrated his hundred with a swing to fine leg for four offFleming, but soon lost Whittall, who pushed half-forward to Fleming, to bestruck on the foot and given out lbw for 2, making the score now 180 forsix. Andy Blignaut, fresh from a series of high club scores and 129 fromthe Zimbabwe Board XI match against Northwest Gauteng, did not look toohappy at this higher level at first, but then decided to take his life inhis hands. Lashing out at Symonds, he hit him for two successive sixesover long-on. Johnson flicked Fleming for a one-bounce four over fine legto bring up the 200, but then played one stroke too many. An attempted sixover long-off fell into the safe hands of Ponting on the boundary and hewas out for 110, off 124 balls, with 13 fours and 2 sixes. Zimbabwe werenow 201 for seven in the 39th over.Blignaut continued to show his improved confidence at this level bycutting Symonds for four and then slogging him for six over midwicket.Next ball, though, he attempted another six but only sent up a giganticskyer to long-off, where it was comfortably held by Mark Waugh. He hadscored 27 off 15 balls, and Zimbabwe were 212 for eight.The innings folded quietly after that. Andrew Whittall (2) swung atWarne, but Mark Waugh at slip made a fierce head-high chance into an easycatch. Zimbabwe were now 220 for nine, and without further addition GaryBrent (5) edged a catch straight to Mark Waugh at slip. Zimbabwe were allout for 220 in 43.4 overs, David Mutendera not out without scoring.Australia won by 83 runs, with Zimbabwe reclaiming some honour with goodperformances by Neil Johnson and the middle order.