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YOUNG AND DARING . . . ZIMBABWE Under-19 batsman Tanunurwa Makoni prepares for his shot during yesterday’s match at Harare Sports Club yesterday

OFF-SPINNER Wesley Madhevere led a polished bowling performance by the Zimbabwe Under-19 side as they secured a 59-run win over the Namibia Under-19s in a youth one-day international at Harare Sports Club yesterday.

After posting 173 when put in to bat first, the hosts never looked in trouble defending the total, with Madhevere bagging three wickets while there were two each for Milton Shumba and Liam Roche.

Eben van Wyk’s 49-run knock was the match’s top score, but so dominant were the Zimbabwean bowlers that apart from him as well as Gerhard Lottering (12) and Petrus Burger (11), no other Namibian batsmen managed to get their scores into double figures.

Earlier, the hosts had also struggled for runs, with Liam Roche, who made 32, contributing the most with the bat.

After the first match between the two sides was washed out without a ball being bowled, the rains stayed away today although the skies remained overcast.

Tanunurwa Makoni and Jayden Schadendorf came out to open the batting for the Zimbabwe side and appeared to have quickly settled in well despite the unfavourable conditions, as they put up a 34-run stand before Makoni — who scored 14, including a boundary, off the 16 deliveries he faced — was bowled out by Ben Shikongo in the seventh over.

Seven deliveries later, Jayden Schadendorf was following his opening partner back to the pavilion after he was also bowled out by Shaun Fouche, leaving the Zimbabweans on 37 for two. His 15, off 24 balls, included two fours.

Dion Myers and Milton Shumba then struck up a third-wicket partnership of 29 that was only broken when Mauritius Ngupita uprooted Shumba’s stumps for 12 in the 17th over. Myers added two more runs before the Zimbabwe Under-19s were reduced to 68 for four after Gregory Dollar gifted a return catch to Ngupita without scoring from the seven deliveries he faced.

Ngupita struck again in the 21st and 23rd overs, first dismissing Wesley Madhevere for one before getting Kieran Robinson caught by van Wyk for two; 72 for six.

The home side appeared to have seized the initiative back with Myers and Roche in tandem, with the duo bringing up the team hundred in the 29th over before Myers was run out the very next delivery, having scored 31 off 66 balls; 107 for seven.

Dane Schadendorf scored eight off 21 deliveries before he was trapped lbw as he attempted to reverse-sweep Petrus Burger, leaving the Zimbabweans reeling at 125 for eight in the 37th over.

Dion Mazhawidza came out guns blazing, joining Roche on the crease for a 24-run stand that was ended in the 42nd over when Roche, who top-scored for the hosts with 32 off 58 balls, was caught by Donovan Zealand to give Fouche his second wicket; 149 for nine.

Fawcett Security is the Zimbabwe Under-19 side’s official shirt sponsor for the 2017 /18 season.

Scores

Zimbabwe Under-19s trounce Namibia Under-19s in youth ODI

 Zimbabwe Under-19s — 173 all out in 44.2 overs (Liam Roche 32, Dion Myers 31, Dion Mazhawidza 28; Mauritius Ngupita 4 /34, Shaun Fouche 2/ 30)

Namibia Under-19s — 114 all out in 40 overs (Eben van Wyk 49, Gerhard Lottering 12, Petrus Burger 11; Wesley Madhevere 3 /23, Milton Shumba 2/ 16, Liam Roche 2/ 26)

 Zimbabwe Under-19s won by 59 runs — Zim Cricket.