HARARE, (Reuters) – India’s Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay put on a century opening stand to lay the platform for a 62-run victory over Zimbabwe and a series win in the second one-day international at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
After the tourists were sent in to bat, the pair put on 112 for the first wicket as India posted 271 for eight in their 50 overs.
Zimbabwe found quick scoring difficult from the start of their reply and were eventually bowled out for 209 with an over remaining in their innings.
Captain Rahane took 83 balls for his score of 63, while Vijay managed just three boundaries, two of them sixes, as he top-scored for India with 72 from 95 balls.
They were the only two half-centuries of the innings and after they departed India lost wickets at regular intervals on the slow pitch.Zimbabwe seamer Neville Madziva posted career best figures in all List A matches of four for 49 in his 10 overs.
The home side stumbled in their reply and when their century hero from Friday’s narrow four-run loss, skipper Elton Chigumbura, was dismissed for nine they had slumped to 43 for three in the 11th over.
Opener Chamu Chibhabha provided lone resistance with a neatly compiled 72 from 100 balls before he was run out by a direct hit from Rahane.
Experienced spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has returned to 50-over international cricket after an absence of four years for this tour, bowled tidily to register one for 29 in his 10 overs.
But the pick of the Indian bowlers was medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar with four for 33 from his allotted overs.
The final match of the series will be staged at the same venue tomorrow, before the teams play two Twenty20 games starting on Friday.
Scoreboard
India Innings
A. Rahane c Raza b Chibhabha 63
M. Vijay c sub b Madziva 72
A. Rayudu c sub b Raza 41
M. Tiwary c Vitori b Tiripano 22
R. Uthappa b Madziva 13
S. Binny c Raza b Vitori 25
K. Jadhav c Mutumbami b Madziva 16
H. Singh not out 5
A. Patel c Raza b Madziva 1
B. Kumar not out 0
Extras (w-13) 13
Total (for 8 wickets, 50 overs) 271
Fall of wickets: 1-112 A. Rahane,2-159 M. Vijay,3-203 A. Rayudu,4-205 M. Tiwary,5-233 R. Uthappa,6-264 S. Binny,7-266 K. Jadhav,8-269 A. Patel Did not bat: D. Kulkarni
Bowling B. Vitori 8 – 0 – 47 – 1(w-6) D. Tiripano 9 – 0 – 42 – 1 N. Madziva 10 – 0 – 49 – 4(w-5) S. Williams 5 – 0 – 23 – 0 G. Cremer 5 – 0 – 32 – 0 C. Chibhabha 5 – 0 – 27 – 1 H. Masakadza 4 – 0 – 26 – 0 S. Raza 4 – 0 – 25 – 1(w-2)
Zimbabwe Innings
V. Sibanda c Vijay b Kulkarni 2
C. Chibhabha run out (Rahane) 72
H. Masakadza c Uthappa b B. Kumar 5
E. Chigumbura c Rahane b B. Kumar 9
S. Williams b A. Patel 20
S. Raza c Uthappa b H. Singh 18
R. Mutumbami c A. Patel b Binny 32
G. Cremer c Rahane b B. Kumar 27
N. Madziva run out (Rahane) 0
D. Tiripano c A. Patel b B. Kumar 6
B. Vitori not out 8
Extras (b-4 lb-4 w-2) 10
Total (all out, 49 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-24 V. Sibanda,2-31 H. Masakadza,3-43 E. Chigumbura,4-95 S. Williams,5-130 C. Chibhabha,6-132 S. Raza,7-184 R. Mutumbami,8-186 N. Madziva,9-195 G. Cremer,10-209 D. Tiripano
Bowling B. Kumar 10 – 3 – 33 – 4 D. Kulkarni 9 – 1 – 39 – 1(w-2) H. Singh 10 – 0 – 29 – 1 S. Binny 7 – 0 – 42 – 1 A. Patel 10 – 1 – 40 – 1 M. Vijay 3 – 0 – 18 – 0 Referees Umpire: Simon Fry Umpire: Langton Rusere TV umpire: Russell Tiffin Match referee: Roshan Mahanama Result: India won by 62 runs