Zimbabwe spinners spell Canada’s downfall

NAGPUR - Zimbabwe spun a web around Canada, bowling them out for 123 to secure a 175-run victory in their Group A World Cup match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Jamtha here Monday.

Tatenda Taibu (98) and Craig Ervine (85) helped Zimbabwe set a challenging 299-run target.

Canada were never in the hunt with veteran left arm spinner Ray Price (3-16) and leg spinner Graeme Cremer (3-31) coming good with the ball. Off spinners Prosper Utseya and Greg Lamb took two wickets each.

Zimbabwe thus logged their first points in the tournament, having lost to Australia by 91 runs in the first match. Canada have lost both their matches after going down earlier to Sri Lanka.

Canada got off to a disastrous start and were three wickets down for just seven runs. Price, who operated with the new ball, dismissed John Davison on the third ball and then went on to remove Nitish Kumar and captain Ashish Bagai.

Canada could never recover from the initial jolt. Ruvindu Gunasekera (24), Jimmy Hansra (20) and Zubin Surkari (26) spent some time at the crease but consumed too many balls.

Earlier, Taibu (98) and Ervine (85), with their 181-run stand for the third wicket, helped Zimbabwe recover from a poor start of two for seven. For Canada, leg-spinner Balaji Rao was the most successful bowler with four for 57 while seamers Khurram Chohan and Harvir Baidwan claimed two wickets each.

Sean Williams (30), Cremer (26) and Utseya (22) made some significant scores down the order as Zimbabwe posted a challenging total after captain Elton Chigumbura elected to bat.

Zimbabwe lost openers Charles Coventry (4) and Bredan Taylor early, but solid performances from Taibu and Ervine agonised the Canadian bowlers.

Taibu was unfortunate to miss his third ODI century by just two runs as his slog sweep off Rao found Davison at deep midwicket. Taibu hit nine fours during his 99-ball stay while Ervine made 85 from 81 balls with two sixes and six fours.