Scotland lose four wickets in four balls after coming within touching distance
Zimbabwe 136 for 5 (Williams 60*, Ervine 30) beat Scotland 126 (Berrington 42, Cross 42, Leask 25, Ngarava 2-13, Masakadza 2-19) by 10 runs
In a see-saw low-scorer that went down to the final over, with Scotland needing 13 to seal the series, Wellington Masakadza proved to be the hero for the visitors. Zimbabwe came storming back to win by 10 runs and level the three-match T20I series at 1-1.
Masakadza picked up two wickets and effected a run out as Scotland lost four wickets in four balls. The left-arm spinner first removed Safyaan Sharif off the first ball when he was caught by Ryan Burl at long-on before running out Mark Watt, who sacrificed his wicket at the non-striker’s end while trying to steal a second.
Then with 13 needed off four, Masakadza all but sealed the game when he dismissed the well-set Michael Leask, who had held the lower order together in making a 20-ball 25 until that point. In trying for a big hit, Leask top-edged a slog towards long-on where Sean Williams held on to a superb catch.
That catch wasn’t the sole contribution by Williams. He was pivotal to Zimbabwe’s innings, forging a remarkable recovery from 20 for 3 in the third over. He batted through the innings from there on to make 60 off 52 balls, with five fours and a six. Along the way, he struck up vital partnerships with Craig Ervine (71-run stand for the fourth wicket) and a quick fire 42 off 26 balls with Burl. This late overs impetus lifted Zimbabwe and gave their bowlers a total of 136 to defend.
Scotland started poorly, the cream of their batting dismantled inside the fifth over as they slipped to 16 for 4, with Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava doing bulk of the damage. Richie Berrington, who rescued them with a match-winning half-century in the series opener, threatened to pull off a repeat, until he fell to Williams – that man, again – for 42. At that stage, Scotland needed 45 off 35, with Matt Cross well set. However his dismissal, also for 42, in the 18th over, turned the tide in Zimbabwe’s favour and Masakadza made the most of it.
The third T20I will be played on Sunday.