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The Daily Star, Bangladesh Zimbabwe toy with Kenya, lift title
Al-Amin and Hasan Masood - 27 March 1999

Zimbabwe clinched the Meril International Cricket Tournament trophy in style with a 202-run whipping of Kenya in the final played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium last night.

Opener Grant Flower shrugged off his earlier disappointing performance in the tournament with a brilliant hundred as Zimbabwe, opting to bat on a placid wicket after winning the toss, piled up a huge total of 325 for six in the stipulated 50 overs.

The all-African final petered into a one-sided affair when Kenya were bundled out for a meagre 123 in 36.5 overs. Experienced Kenyan all-rounder Steve Tikolo did not turn up to bat due to an injury on his left wrist.

Although there were a few hundred spectators to see Saturday's match, Kenya, who made it to the final at the expense of the hosts Bangladesh, were a disappointing lot with a rather meek and mild performance.

Grant Flower scored a career-best 140 off 125 balls to lay the foundation of the mammoth Zimbabwean total after his opening partner Neil Johnson returned to the dressing room in the very first over for a duck.

The experienced right-hander, who was not among the runs in his previous four matches in the tri-nation tourney, clicked in the nick of time to join his elder brother Andy Flower in the 3000-club with his 60 in his 92nd one-day appearance.

Earlier, Andy Flower became the first Zimbabwean to score 3000 runs in one-day internationals when he scored 83 against the same side in the inaugural match on March 19.

Grant Flower, whose previous best score was 112 against Sri Lanka, set the pace of the Zimbabwean innings, putting on 98 runs off 92 balls for the second wicket with one-down Murray Goodwin. The latter fell for 22 off 36 balls.

Although Grant lost his brother Andy immediately after Goddwin's departure, the most entertaining part of the Zimbabwe innings came when all-rounder Guy Whittall joined Grant to produce 129 runs for the fourth wicket.

The two were eventually separated when Grant, who clubbed a dozen of fours and a couple of sixes, ran himself out while chasing a non-existent second run in the 40th over. But, by that time, Zimbabwe were strongly placed on 239 for four with ten more overs to go.

Guy Whittall carried the Zimbabwean onslaught from where Grant had left, making 67 off 76 balls with the help of five boundaries. Zimbabwe plundered 86 runs from the last ten overs in which Carlisle smashed 42 off 29 balls and hard-hitting Heath Streak scored a quickfire undefeated 39.

Among the Kenyan bowlers, Martin Suji earned some respect from the marauding Zimbabweans while others, including captain Asif Karim, who conceded 64 runs from eight overs, were mercilessly hit all over the ground.

Kenya, needing a world-record performance to topple Zimbabwe's total, which was also the highest innings total at the Bangabandhu, were never up in their chase for a well-nigh impossible proposition.


Source: The Daily Star, Bangladesh
Editorial comments can be sent to The Daily Star at webmaster@dailystarnews.com