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DUBAI
ZIMBABWE maintained their strong form heading into the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup  when they won their second warm-up game with a comprehensive 115-run victory over the Netherlands in Dubai on Tuesday.
Prolific opener Brendan Taylor seems to have rediscovered his form after propping up the team with another half century in as a many games.
Taylor’s 56 runs guided Zimbabwe to 249 for eight before they restricted the Netherlands to 134-9 in their reply.
Injured last man Pieteer Seelaar did not bat.
Taylor hit five fours and was well supported by Regis Chakabva (29) and Tatenda Taibu (30).
But Mudassar Bukhari and Bernard Loots took some quick wickets as Zimbabwe slipped to 158/7 at one stage before Graeme Cremer stepped in with a well struck a run-a-ball 42 that gave them a late boost.
Cremer, who was unbeaten, combined with Prosper Utseya and Shingirai Masakadza in the lower order to take Zimbabwe to a competitive total.
Three wickets apiece from Christopher Mpofu and Elton Chigumbura then left the Netherlands in deep trouble when they came to bat.
Mpofu and Chigumbura tore through the opposition after Ed Rainsford had provided an early breakthrough.
Netherlands lost regular wickets and were never in the game, getting bowled out in the 34th over.
Opener Alexei Kervezee top scored with 33 runs as they failed to build partnerships and their cause was not helped by the absence due to injury of Seelaar or three other players failing to score.
Sean Williams picked up two for five, ending the game by dismissing Bukhari (28) and Berend Westdijk (0).
Bukhari hammered two sixes in his 28 and Bradley Kruger three fours in his 22, but there was not much else to cheer about for the Dutch side.
Zimbabwe’s victory came in the backdrop of their six-wicket win over Ireland in their first warm-up game last Sunday.
They face South Africa in their next practice match in India this Saturday and Ireland in the final preparatory match next Tuesday.
Africa’s other representatives at the World Cup, Kenya also won their second successive warm-up game, chasing down Ireland’s 176 despite losing seven wickets in the end at the ICC Global Cricket Academy.
Maurice Ouma led the chase with a patient half-century after Seren Waters and David Obuya had given Kenya a quick start, putting on 46 inside nine overs.
Andre Botha, who was the pick of the Irish bowlers, dismissed the openers but Ouma found enough support in Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel to take Kenya closer.
A clutch of wickets fell towards the end, but Kenya finally closed out the game in the 46th over.
The fact that Ireland managed what they did was largely due to Ed Joyce.
He rebuilt the innings in the company of the tail after Kenya’s seam attack had run through seven Irish batsmen for 63 runs.
Nehemiah Odhiambo, Peter Ongondo, Elijah Otieno and Thomas Odoyo were more than a handful, and despite a steady start at 52 for 2, Ireland lost the next five wickets for 11.
But Joyce and Andrew White dug in to take them past 100, and the tail managed to play out all but one of the 50 overs to guide them to 176, which proved too little in the end.
After the win against Afghanistan two days ago, this victory will further boost Kenya’s confidence that would have been dented heavily after they lost all five games to sides comprising mostly of age-group players on their recent tour of Indian state Gujarat.
Afghanistan shot out Canada for 105, and then chased down the target with more than 26 overs to spare in Dubai.
Hamid Hassan, the Afghanistan captain, and Shapoor Zadran almost ended the match as a contest soon after Canada chose to bat, sending back half the side with eight runs on the board.
But Khurram Chohan and Jimmy Hansra stuck in to make twenties, and Balaji Rao and Harvir Baidwan took Canada just past 100.
Mirwais Ashraf ensured Canada didn’t have too much of a recovery, taking 4 for 39.
Canada’s bowlers tried gamely, but there weren’t enough runs to defend.
Asghar Stanikzai made a quick 27, and the others chipped in as Afghanistan won comfortably with five wickets remaining.