HARARE: A prominent player of Zimbabwe, Craig Ervine helped his team to a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international on Sunday.
Craig’s 130 not out took the host to its target of 304 with an over to spare for an early lead in the three-match series – one of the biggest upsets in Cricket history.
Left-hander Ervine’s match-winning innings against New Zealand was his first ODI century. His 130 came off just 108 balls and was punctuated by 11 fours and five sixes.
Zimbabwe scored 304-3 at Harare Sports Club after New Zealand had posted 303-4, with 112 not out from Ross Taylor and 97 from stand-in captain Kane Williamson.
Zimbabwe opener Hamilton Masakadza started the chase strongly, making 84. Ervine then took over, reaching his maiden one-day hundred off 99 balls.
Facing 16 to win off the last two overs, it was still a tricky chase for Zimbabwe. But Ervine and Sean Williams took 15 off seam bowler James Neesham in the second-last over, with Ervine carving a four and a six over midwicket off the last two balls.
Ervine had leveled the scores with his big six and Zimbabwe won when Nathan McCullum bowled a wide first delivery of the final over.
McCullum was New Zealand’s only wicket taker with 3-62.
New Zealand had set a big target and appeared on course for victory after Taylor’s 16th ODI century and his 137-run partnership with Williamson, who is standing in for Brendon McCullum as captain.
New Zealand is warming up in Zimbabwe ahead of a limited-overs tour of South Africa later this month. The second one-dayer is on Tuesday.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
