BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
BULAWAYO – Stephen Mangongo, coach of a Zimbabwe Emerging cricket team currently hosting their South African counterparts, says the heavy defeat to the neighbours in the first four-day match is of a greater concern to him because of the experience gap between the two sides.
Jade de Klerk took 5-57 as SA Emerging beat Zimbabwe Emerging by an innings and 186 runs on Sunday in the first four-day match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The hosts were bundled out for 184 in their second innings – sealing the result before lunch on day four.
“SA Emerging has brought a truly emerging squad, we have a very experienced squad,” Mangongo told SportsCast on Monday.
“It’s frustrating that we still lost the match.”
Mangongo, a long-time stalwart of cricket development in Zimbabwe, said the young South African side exploited the batting weaknesses in his team.
“Our batters’ techniques were brought into question, as we lost the top five into the slip cordon within the first 15 overs,” he commented.
“The lower order fought back, with three guys getting half-centuries, but failed to convert on a typical Queens pitch with no demons at all. In the first innings, we batted only 66 overs: not good enough in a ‘Test match’. From there on, we were chasing the game.”
The South Africans batted just once in the game, amassing 586-6 declared either side of the home side being dismissed, the first time for 216.
Zimbabwe began Sunday on 123-4 thanks to some fight from Alistair Frost, but the key overnight man fell just three runs into the day for 36 when he edged Dian Forrester (1-31) to wicketkeeper Ntando Zuma in the sixth over of play.
Arinesto Vezha lasted 53 balls for his six runs before perishing along with Brandon Mavuta (nought) in the same De Klerk over.
That left the hosts on 137-7, with strong resistance then put up by Ernest Masuku (16) and Larvet Masunda (29).
However, they fell within the space of two deliveries as Lesego Senokwane (2-10) and De Klerk cleaned up the tail to leave the Zimbabweans all out in 80.2 overs.
Zimbabwe Emerging coach Stephen Mangongo.
Zimbabwe Emerging’s fielding also came in for some blunt criticism from their tough-talking coach.
“Another unacceptable sin was that we dropped eight catches! Thereby giving reins for a thorough ball-fetching for more than a-day-and-half, resulting in the huge first innings score of 586 by SA Emerging,” he said.
“I can’t blame our bowlers, they created eight chances.”
But amidst the wreckage, Mangongo saw glimmers of hope within the group.
“On the positive side, we saw a quality bowling display by the 19-year-old Arinesto Vezha, who bowled a top opening spell of seven wickets for eight runs and picked a wicket. He was consistent and hit good areas, bowling more than 28 overs. He troubled all batters.
“In the middle-order, young batter Alistair Frost, in both first and second innings, batted for more than a session, showing good shot selection and application. These two boys (Vezha and Frost) showed they belong to this level of cricket.”
The second match between the sides takes place at the same venue starting on Wednesday.
*Additional reporting by sacricketmag.com.
