ZIMBABWE FIRST-CLASS CRICKET IN 1990/91

Captain: Dave Houghton

Zimbabwe enjoyed rather a mixed season in 1990/91, when they appeared to be treading water rather than making any great advance towards Test status. Having qualified for the 1991/92 World Cup in Australia, this was the team's next goal; however, for once, although Zimbabwe did generally hold its own in first-class matches against this season's opposition, it was clearly inferior in one-day cricket.

The season began with a tour by a strong Pakistan B side, captained by Asif Mujtaba and containing such players as Basit Ali, Zahid Fazal and Moin Khan. They were to play two five-day unofficial Tests and a series of five one-day matches, as well as an enterprising programme against Zimbabwe B. As was tending to become the case now, Zimbabwe did well early on against the opposition, but faded later in the series once the tourists had properly acclimatised. Zimbabwe enjoyed a good victory in the first unoffical Test, but then lost the second, mainly through feeble batting, by an innings. Similarly Zimbabwe narrowly won the first one-day match, but then lost the next four, although three of the defeats were close.

At the end of the season two county teams, Worcestershire and Glamorgan, visited Zimbabwe, captained respectively by Phil Neale and Alan Butcher. The main interest lay in the presence for former Zimbabwean Graeme Hick, who did consistently well. Other well-known players on view were Ian Botham, Tim Curtis, Steve Rhodes, Richard Illingworth and Neil Radford for Worcestershire and Hugh Morris, Robert Croft and Steve Watkin for Glamorgan.

Zimbabwe played both teams in a first-class match, beating Glamorgan after chasing a target, but having to fight hard to avoid defeat against Worcestershire after being heavily outclassed and forced to follow on. The ZCU organised a three-team one-day tournament over the Easter weekend but Zimbabwe, after being unlucky to lose to Glamorgan on run rate, then lost marginally to Worcestershire, who beat Glamorgan to take first place. Three friendly one-day matches were played, with Zimbabwe beating Worcestershire early in the tour before losing again later, and losing to Glamorgan more conventionally.

Zimbabwe's leading first-class run-scorer was the 18-year-old left-handed Alistair Campbell. In his first season of first-class cricket, he scored 322 runs at an average of 40.25, and against Glamorgan became the youngest Zimbabwean to score a first-class century. Kevin Arnott returned to form with 289 runs (average 41.28), but they were the only batsmen to score 200 runs. Dave Houghton had an indifferent season while Andy Pycroft played in only one match, due to injury and business commitments.

The only bowler to take ten wickets was Malcolm Jarvis, the left-arm swing bowler, aged 35, who served the country loyally for so long with little recognition. His 17 wickets came at an average of 24.35; 12 of these came in the match against Pakistan B in Bulawayo. The next best was John Traicos, with 7.

PAKISTAN B TOUR

(50 overs) At Harare South Country Club; 29 September. ZIMBABWE COUNTRY DISTRICTS 184/8 (A C Waller 33; Fakhruddin Baluch 3/34). PAKISTAN B 188/7 (Anur Hanif 44, Shahid Nawaz 46*). Pakistan B won by three wickets.

(1ST ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 30 September. PAKISTAN B 243/8 (Shahid Saeed 56, Aamer Hanif 31, Zahid Fazal 79, Ayaz Jilani 38; M P Jarvis 3/37). ZIMBABWE 246/8 (A Flower 65, A J Pycroft 63, A C Waller 31). Zimbabwe won by two wickets.

(First-class) At Harare South Country Club; 3, 4, 5 October. ZIMBABWE B 145 (C N Evans 39; Ayaz Jilani 3/52, Shahid Hussain 5/48) and 262 (W R James 61, E A Essop-Adam 36, G J Crocker 62*, M G Burmester 31; Shakeel Khan 3/88, Asif Mujtaba 4/27). PAKISTAN B 375/4 dec (Mujahid Jamshed 196, Zahid Fazal 115, Asif Mujtaba 55*) and 36/0. Pakistan B won by ten wickets.

(2ND ODI) At Bulawayo Athletic Club; 7 October. ZIMBABWE 189 (A J Pycroft 87; Fakhruddin Baloch 4/40). PAKISTAN B 190/1 (Shahid Saeed 55*, Basit Ali 122*). Pakistan B won by nine wickets.

At Bulawayo Athletic Club; 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 October. ZIMBABWE 436 (K J Arnott 121, A Flower 50, A D R Campbell 32, D L Houghton 115, A C Waller 30; Shahid Hussain 3/120, Asif Mujtaba 5/71) and 65/2 (A H Omarshah 31). PAKISTAN B 204 (Aamer Hanif 94, Moin Khan 38; M P Jarvis 5/74) and 295 (Shahid Saeed 43, Zahid Fazal 109, Asif Mujtaba 38; M P Jarvis 7/86). Zimbabwe won by eight wickets.

(3RD ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 14 October. PAKISTAN B 273/9 (Shahid Saeed 49, Shahid Nawaz 78, Zahid Fazal 42, Aamer Hanif 41). ZIMBABWE 262/8 (G W Flower 55, A Flower 43, A J Pycroft 64, C N Evans 34). Pakistan B won by 11 runs.

(First-class) At Alexandra Sports Club, Harare; 16, 17, 18 October. PAKISTAN B 469 (Mujahid Jamshed 46, Zahid Fazal 50, Asif Mujtaba 193*, Moin Khan 60, Shakeel Khan 43; D B Gibbs 4/78) and 86/3 (Shakeel Ahmed 50*). YOUNG ZIMBABWE 187 (A Flower 121; Athar Laeeq 7/55). Match drawn.

(4TH ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 21 October. ZIMBABWE 250/5 (A Flower 101, D L Houghton 34*; Athar Laeeq 3/44). PAKISTAN B 252/8 (Basit Ali 78, Shahid Nawaz 68, Zahid Fazal 37). Pakistan B won by two wickets.

At Harare Sports Club; 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 October. ZIMBABWE 252 (K J Arnott 53, A J Pycroft 85; Shakeel Khan 3/66, Athar Laeeq 3/57) and 144 (A J Pycroft 60; Shakeel Khan 3/32, Fakhruddin Baloch 4/57). PAKISTAN B 421 (Shahid Saeed 92, Basit Ali 115, Shahid Nawaz 45, Zahid Fazal 113; A J Traicos 3/92). Pakistan B won by an innings and 25 runs.

(5TH ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 28 October. ZIMBABWE 256/8 (A Flower 71, D L Houghton 76). PAKISTAN B 260/7 (Shahid Saeed 64, Shahid Nawaz 80, Asif Mujtaba 46*). Pakistan B won by three wickets.

(50 overs) At Mutare Sports Club; 30 October. ZIMBABWE B 223 (S Dudhia 79; Shakeel Khan 4/39, Fakhruddin Baloch 4/37). PAKISTAN 226/7 (Anur Hanif 78*; M G Burmester 3/32). Pakistan B won by three wickets.

(50 overs) At Mutare Sports Club; 31 October. ZIMBABWE B 240/9 (M H Dekker 54, S Dudhia 44, E A Essop-Adam 49). PAKISTAN B 241/9 (Shahid Nawaz 68*; S G Peall 3/39). Pakistan B won by one wicket.

WORCESTERSHIRE AND GLAMORGAN TOURS

(50 overs) At Harare South Country Club; 23 March. ZIMBABWE COUNTRY DISTRICTS v WORCESTERSHIRE. Details unobtainable.

(ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 24 March. WORCESTERSHIRE 191/7 (G A Hick 91, D B D'Oliveira 35, S R Lampitt 30; M P Jarvis 3/28). ZIMBABWE 192/8 (A Flower 59). Zimbabwe won by two wickets.

(50 overs) At Alexandra Sports Club; 27 March. ZCU PRESIDENT'S XI 201/5 (A D R Campbell 48). WORCESTERSHIRE 203/7 (G A Hick 71). Worcestershire won by three wickets.

TRIANGULAR TOURNAMENT At Harare Sports Club; 29 March. GLAMORGAN 168/7 (P A Cottey 40, I Smith 48, R D B Croft 31). ZIMBABWE 84/1 (27.1 overs) (A Flower 40*, A D R Campbell 29*). Rain stopped play; Glamorgan won on faster scoring rate.

At Harare Sports Club; 30 March. GLAMORGAN 201/7 (H Morris 38, A Dale 68*, P A Cottey 31; S R Lampitt 3/42). WORCESTERSHIRE 202/3 (G A Hick 84*, T M Moody 67). Worcestershire won by seven wickets.

At Harare Sports Club; 31 March. ZIMBABWE 219/8 (A Flower 62, D L Houghton 81). WORCESTERSHIRE 221/9 (D B D'Oliveira 47, M J Weston 38*; M P Jarvis 3/47). Worcestershire won by one wicket.

At Bulawayo Athletic Club; 2, 3, 4 April. GLAMORGAN 320/6 dec (A R Butcher 40, S P James 58, A Dale 102, P A Cottey 56, R D B Croft 39) and 225/6 dec (A R Butcher 53, P A Cottey 53, I Smith 48; M P Jarvis 3/29). ZIMBABWE 253/8 dec (A D R Campbell 100*, E A Brandes 94; S R Bastien 4/44) and 296/8 (K J Arnott 67, A D R Campbell 643, W R James 30, D L Houghton 44, E A Brandes 33; S L Watkin 3/56). Zimbabwe won by two wickets.

(Not first-class) At Mutare Sports Club; 2, 3, 4 April. YOUNG ZIMBABWE 153 (C M Tolley 5/28) and 234 (G J Whittall 86; S R Lampitt 4/63). WORCESTERSHIRE 244 (T M Moody 87; S G Davies 5/42) and 145/3 (T S Curtis 58). Worcestershire won by seven wickets.

(ODI) At Bulawayo Athletic Club; 6 April. ZIMBABWE 218/9 (A Flower 52, A D R Campbell 69; G A Hick 5/57). WORCESTERSHIRE 222/1 (T M Moody 101*, G A Hick 106*). Worcestershire won by nine wickets.

(ODI) At Harare Sports Club; 7 April. GLAMORGAN 246/6 (H Morris 98, S P James 80). ZIMBABWE 167 (G A Paterson 50; S R Watkin 3/19, M Frost 3/29). Glamorgan won by 79 runs.

At Harare Sports Club; 8, 9, 10 April. WORCESTERSHIRE 377/4 dec (T S Curtis 58, G J Lord 40, G A Hick 81, D B D'Oliveira 81, P A Neale 68*, I T Botham 33*). ZIMBABWE 157 (G J Whittall 31, A D R Campbell 45*; R K Illingworth 5/22, G A Hick 3/53) and 276/7 (W R James 40, A Flower 63, G A Paterson 42, A H Omarshah 43*, S G Peall 31*). Match drawn.

(Not first-class) At Alexandra Sports Club, Harare; 8, 9, 10 April. ZIMBABWE B 252/5 dec (S E M Dudhia 81) and 84/1. GLAMORGAN 377/6 dec (H Morris 112, P A Cottey 59, M L Roberts 68*). Match drawn.

It is intended in the future to produce full scorecards, and also much more information about all cricket in Rhodesia during this season. At present, the next entry in this section is for 1991/92