Bermuda 136

Zimbabwe 137-4

Not even an authoritative half-century from Janeiro Tucker could turn around Bermuda’s fortunes as they completed their World Cup preparation in familiar style at Arnos Vale yesterday.

This six-wicket defeat by Zimbabwe might have represented a slight improvement on Monday’s dreadful showing when they were skittled out for 45 in a 241-run reverse against England, but there was little or nothing to suggest they can seriousy threaten any of the sport’s giants when the real show begins in Trinidad next week.

For much of the campaign leading up to the World Cup, it’s been Bermuda’s inspid bowling attack that has raised most cause for concern.

But both on Monday and yesterday, it became clear the batsmen are no better equipped to take on the might of Test cricket.

Tucker apart, a string of wickets were thrown away cheaply with young Zimbabwean Anthony Ireland, hardly the fastest of pace bowlers Bermuda can expect to face in the coming weeks, helping himself to three cheap early scalps.

As has been the case in so many of Bermuda’s matches, the early order folded like a pack of cards, the first three wickets going down for less than 20 runs, and the rest of the team unable to rebuild.

Tucker hit a glorious 52 and with OJ Pitcher contributing 16 in a fifth-wicket partnership that reaped 57 runs, helped spare similar blushes to those witnessed against England.

But not once did the run rate creep above three an over and that pedestrian pace combined with a regular fall of wickets allowed Zimbabwe to dictate proceedings almost from the start.

They too suffered early setbacks in reply, losing both openers Vusimuzi Sibanda (2) and Terrence Duffin (1) in the space of the first two overs with just three on the board.

But in contrast to Bermuda, they quickly regrouped — thanks largely to an unbeaten 72 from Sean Williams, to cruise home with 21 overs and six wickets to spare.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference between these two sides was the Africans’ athleticism between the wickets and the ability to pick up singles with ease.

Bermuda, if not finding the boundary rope, continually failed to trouble the scorers.

Having won the toss and opted to bat, Bermuda reinstalled Clay Smith as opener — he was dropped down the order in favour of OJ Pitcher on Monday — but after a cautious start in which he and Dean Minors could only scratch eight runs off the first six overs, the type of capitulation seen all too often before wasn’t long in coming.

Seemingly frustrated at his inability to get on top of Zimbabwe’s pace attack, Smith went for the big hit, miscued his shot and was comfortably caught by Gary Brent off Ireland for seven with the total on 14.

Coach Gus Logie experimented by moving David Hemp up the order to three but he could hardly have envisaged the professional county player giving his wicket away so cheaply (0), another big swing resulting in the ball ballooning up straight in front of the bowler, giving Ireland his second wicket and leaving Bermuda tottering on 14 for two.

After 10 overs the writing was already on the wall, skipper Irving Romaine, passed fit to play after suffering concussion on Monday, getting off the mark with a boundary that barely missed the hands of a mid-on fielder only to be dismissed on the very next delivery as he flashed Ireland into the slips where Elton Chigumbura held the catch.

At 18 for three there were even fears that Bermuda might repeat their calamitous effort against England and it took a determined effort from Tucker to steady the ship.

He lost opener Dean Minors (12) with the total on 31 when the left-hander also offered a thick edge off Tawanda Mupariwa which found Simanda at second slip.

But with Pitcher playing the anchor role, Tucker began to up the tempo.

Between them they carried the score cautiously through the 40s, 50s and 60s, offering few chances although rarely dominating the attack. After 32 overs there were still only 86 runs on the board, a rate well below three an over.

And when Pitcher finally tried to emerge from his shell, having added just 16 off 57 balls, he was brilliantly snared at mid-wicket by Sibanda off the spin of skipper Prosper Utseya with the total on 88. It was the kind of hole hard-hitter Lionel Cann relishes digging his side out of, but on this occasion he wasn’t much help.

In an innings that lasted 21 balls and contained two boundaries, Cann added just 11 before cracking a Christopher Mpofu delivery straight at Utseya at mid-on.

By that time, he and Tucker had taken the total over the century mark, athough Tucker should have departed in the 37th over just two shy of his half-century when Ireland dropped a simple catch off Utseya.

The Somerset Cup Match skipper, however, was to add only four more before he became the seventh wicket to fall, holing out to Terrence Duffin off Mpofu on the last ball of the 42nd over with the total on 115. His 52, compiled in 113 minutes off 83 balls, contained six fours and a six.

With overs fast running out, Bermuda needed the tail to wag — but none of those at the bottom of the order were to make much of an impression.

Last man Kevin Hurdle enjoyed one lusty blow, sending Elton Chigamubra into the sight screen for a big six in his total of 10. But he was dismissed by the same bowler off the final ball of the innings, caught by Keith Dabengwa who in his two previous overs had got rid of Saleem Mukuddem for three, caught by Matsikenyeri, and clean bowled Malachi Jones for a second-ball duck.

Delyone Borden remained unbeaten on six.

A total of 136 won’t have worried the Zimbabweans, although when Hurdle struck from the fifth ball of his first over to send back Sibanda, caught and bowled for two, and in the next over his pace partner Mukuddem had fellow opener Terrence Duffin superbly caught in the slips for one by Clay Smith with the total on five, there might have been some anxious faces in the Africans’ dressing room.

But Sean Williams, who joined Chomunorwa Chibhabha at the crease, quickly calmed the nerves, that pair moving the score onto 78 before the latter was held by Borden off Leverock for 30 in the 19th over.

Then on the first ball of his first over Borden had a wonderful chance to dismiss new batsman Elton Chigumbura but failed to hold a return catch.

It wasn’t to prove too costly, however, as Leverock claimed his second wicket in the 23rd over, reducing Zimbabwe to 93 for four as Chigumbura offered an easy catch to David Hemp at mid-wicket.

However, with the Africans now requiring just 28 runs for victory and Williams completing his half-century off 64 balls, there weren’t to be any more hiccups.

Williams continued untroubled to post an unbeaten 72, including three fours and two sixes, while Stuart Matsikinyeri, Zimbabwe’s only remaining player from the last World Cup, finished with 21 not out.

Leverock returned two for 54 off ten with two maidens, Hurdle one for 21 off five, Mukuddem one for 14 off five, Stefan Kelly nought for 17 off four and Delyone Borden nought for 30 off five.