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YOUNG AND PATRIOTIC . . . Some of the schoolgirls who converged at the Peterhouse Boys School cricket field to support the Zimbabwe Under-19 national team in their victory over world champions, the West Indies, on Wednesday

Percival Sizara in MARONDERA
PETERHOUSE Boys School provided the stage for an historic victory for the Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket side when they beat the West Indies, the current world champions, on Wednesday to square the Youth One Day International series.

And, now, the hosts are eyeing the kill when the two teams clash in the final match of the series at Harare Sports Club tomorrow. There is a buzz in the junior cricket circles right now after Zimbabwe’s sensational win on Wednesday.

“Saturday (is the) last ODI against West Indies, don’t forget to come and support the boys at Harare Sport Club,’’ the Zimbabwe Schools Cricket group said on their social media page.

“Make some noise for the boys they need you to finish the hard work and win the series.’’ Marondera school became the first Zimbabwean school to host a Youth ODI match.

Zimbabwe powered to a 26-run victory to tie the series 1-1 ahead of the final match at Harare Sports Club on Saturday. The last time the two teams met at the World Cup last year, their duel sparked headlines around the world after Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava was controversially run out.

Ngarava was mankaded with his team appearing set to overhaul the West Indies total in an eliminator for the knock-out phase of the World Cup.

The Windies rode on that success to go and win the World Cup. On Wednesday, the Zimbabweans also gave their visitors a dose of that mankad dismissal.

Then West Indies appeared to have found their touch, after losing two quick wickets in the chase, with a 66-run third wicket stand between Keegan Simmons (49) and Yadram (42). But Yadram was mankaded by Tinotenda Jakachira in a decisive moment of the match.

This slowed down West Indies a bit. Now, the two teams will battle in a winner-take-all encounter and if the big number of fans who came to support the hosts on Wednesday is anything to go by, tomorrow’s match could draw a huge crowd rooting for the locals.