Zimbabwe clinch Tri-Nations title

They did so by an 83-run margin over Bermu-da at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain yesterday.

Bermuda showed a lot of will and determination, in their third ever ICC-sanctioned one-dayer, but the target of 260 was always going to be too much for the Gus Logie-coached squad, as they folded for 176 in 47.2 overs.

Choosing to bat after winning the toss, Zimbabwe got brief knocks of 23 from Piet Rinke and 18 from Justice Chibhabha, as they shared stands of 50 and 62 respectively with Sibanda. Then Brendan Taylor and Sibanda put the final beyond Bermuda’s reach with a crucial third-wicket stand of 88 in 13.3 overs.

Taylor, in his typical belligerent and boisterous style, lashed 55 off 50 balls, with five fours and a six, before he was stumped by his wicketkeeping counterpart Dean Minors off left-arm spinner Hasan Durham.

From a total of 200 for three in the 39th over, Zimbabwe could not keep up the momentum, as they lost four wickets for 59 runs in their last 10.4 overs, including Sibanda, whose innings lasted three hours and featured nine fours and a six.

Durham, pacers George O’Brien and Irvine Romaine captured two wickets apiece for Bermuda.

Mupariwa, Mahwire and off-spinner Prosper Utseya took wickets at vital stages for Zimbabwe as the island nation were unable to get going, despite valiant efforts of 40 from Lionel Cann, 29 from Minors, 25 from Saleem Mukuddem and 23 from Romaine.