 Zimbabwe stun Australia in Twenty20 World Cup
13th Sep 2007 11:00 IST
Agencies
Earlier, the Australians were done in by a poor batting performance.
Electing to bat under overcast conditions, the world champions kept losing wickets at regular intervals after a top-order collapse.
The Zimbabweans, on the other hand, put up an inspired performance with Elton Chigumbura picking up three wickets.
After brief spell of rain delayed the start of play by a few minutes, Australian openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden departed in quick succession on a seaming track.
Both the batsmen made just four runs each before leaving the Aussies reeling at 12/2. While Hayden edged a Chigumbura delivery to Taylor, Gilchrist holed out to Matsikenyeri while attempting a pull off the same bowler.
Skipper Ricky Ponting (8) followed the duo back to the pavilion soon as he gave an easy catch to Chigumbura by trying to swing Gary Brent.
Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey then steadied the innings for some time but disaster struck soon as the latter was run out at 15.
A moment of indecision from Hussey was all that Sibanda needed as he dived full stretch to hit the stumps directly with the Aussie left-hander fell just short of his crease.
Symonds (33) could not stay for long either as Taylor displayed some excellent glovework to stump the right-hander and end his brief partnership with Brad Haddin (6).
The Aussie scorecard read 102/6 with just 3.4 overs remaining before Brad Hodge's unbeaten 35, which included two fours and a couple of sixes, and Lee's 12 of seven balls helped the world champions to 138/9.
Ponting admitted that his side had been thoroughly outplayed by the minnows.
"It's a mental thing for us. We have got to start respecting the game a bit more," he said after the match. |
