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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket team is set to meet Ireland in the Plate semi-finals of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, this Saturday.

The other semi-final will pit hosts West Indies against United Arab Emirates tomorrow. The Zimbabwean youth team booked their place after outsmarting Scotland by 108 runs in the quarter-finals played at the same venue yesterday.  Opening batter Matthew Welch gave Zimbabwe good platform with an excellent innings of 78 runs.

The Zimbabweans won the toss and decided to bat. They went on to post a decent total of 248/10 in 49.5 overs. They lost Emmanuel Bawa early on for three and then Panashe Taruvinga (3) moments later to leave the score on 43/2. But the third-wicket partnership of 112 between Welch and Brian Bennett lifted the Zimbabweans to 155 before Bennett fell to an lbw decision in the 31st over.

He had played his part with a brilliant knock of 54 off 58 deliveries, with one six and five fours.His brother David Bennett came in next and also batted well to score 35, while Welch was eventually caught for a superb 78, which took him 117 balls and included a six and seven fours.

The Zimbabwe bowlers dismissed Scotland for only 140 runs inside 39 overs. David Bennett and Connor Mitchell to three wickets apiece. Their Plate semi-final opponents, Ireland, beat Canada by 94 runs on Tuesday.

Scoreboard: Zimbabwe Under-19s – 248 all out in 49.5 overs (Matthew Welch 78, Brian Bennett 54, David Bennett 35; Jack Jarvis 3/46, Charlie Peet 2/36, Ruaridh McIntyre 1/13)Scotland Under-19s – 140 all out in 39 overs (Tomas Mackintosh 25, Jack Jarvis 24, Charlie Tear 16; David Bennett 3/25, Connor Mitchell 3/29, Brian Bennett 1/12)