HARARE: Wessly Madhevere took a hat-trick and set up a dramatic finish as Zimbabwe beat Netherlands by one run in the second of three World Cup Super League one-day internationals in Harare on Thursday.

It went down to the last ball when last man Ryan Klein was run out attempting a near-impossible third run which would have tied the match.

The Netherlands were seemingly cruising in pursuit of Zimbabwe’s 271 all out at 213 for four before off-spinner Madhevere dismissed Colin Ackermann, Teja Nidamanuru and Paul van Meekeren off the first three balls of the 44th over.

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards hit 36 but his team’s hopes seemed over when he fell to off-spinner Sikandar Raza with 20 runs still needed off nine balls.

It came down to 10 needed off the last two balls.

Fred Klaassen hit a six off Tendai Chatara and then drove the last ball into the covers. The batsmen ran two but Brad Evans’ throw to Chatara left Klein well short of his ground.

Max O’Dowd (81) and Tom Cooper (74) laid the foundation for what seemed a likely Netherlands win with a second-wicket partnership of 125 off 152 balls.

Sean Williams, returning after a finger injury, top-scored for Zimbabwe with 77 while 19-year-old leg-spinner Shariz Ahmad took five wickets for 43 runs for the Netherlands.

The series decider will be played at the same venue on Saturday.

SCOREBOARD

ZIMBABWE:

C. Ervine b Ackermann 39

W. Madhevere c Edwards b Shariz 43

G. Ballance lbw Meekeren 14

S. Williams c Ahmad b Ahmad 77

S. Raza c Edwards b Shariz 0

R. Burl c Klein b Shariz 8

C. Madande c A’mann b Meekeren 52

B. Evans lbw Shariz 0

W. Masakadza st Edwards b A’mann 10

T. Chatara c Edwards b Klein 4

B. Muzarabani not out 17

EXTRAS (B-2, W-5) 7

TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 271

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-61 (Ervine), 2-80 (Balance), 3-110 (Madhevere), 4-110 (Raza), 5-120 (Burl), 6-224 (Williams), 7-224 (Evans), 8-245 (Masakadza), 9-247 (Madande)

BOWLING: Klaassen 10-0-59-0 (1w), van Meekeren 10-0-66-2 (1w), Klein 9.2-0-38-1 (1w), Ackermann 8-0-51-2 (1w), Shariz 10-1-43-5, Cooper 2-0-12-0

NETHERLANDS:

V. Singh c Masakadza b Muzarabani 14

M. O’Dowd lbw Raza 81

T. Cooper run out 74

C. A’mann st Madande b Madhevere 28

S. Edwards c Evans b Raza 36

T. Nidamanuru b Madhevere 0

P. van Meekeren b Madhevere 0

S. Ahmad run out Madande 8

M. Ahmad c Burl b Raza 4

R. Klein run out Evans 8

F. Klaassen not out 10

EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-1, W-3) 7

TOTAL (all out, 50 overs) 270

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-41 (Singh), 2-166 (Cooper), 3-197 (O’Dowd), 4-213 (Ackermann), 5-213 (Nidamanuru), 6-213 (van Meekeren), 7-234 (Shariz), 8-252 (Edwards), 9-253 (Ahmad)

BOWLING: Chatara 9-0-63-0 (1w), Muzarabani 6-0-39-1 (2w), Evans 5-0-12-0, Masakadza 3-0-13-0, Williams 7-0-42-0, Raza 9-0-39-3(1nb), Burl 2-0-23-0, Madhevere 9-0-36-3

RESULT: Zimbabwe won by one run.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2023