ZIMBABWE national cricket team pace bowler, Richard Ngarava’s best bowling figures of five for 32 came as a bitter sweet feeling for the hard running left armer following the Chevrons' near miss against Sri Lanka in the second One Day International played in Colombo on Monday.
The speedster has rarely put his foot wrong in the Chevrons colours in recent matches and a maiden fiver against Sri Lanka, albeit in a painful two-wicket defeat, was a befitting reward to the hard work he has put in his bowling.
This was the 29-year-old's maiden five wicket haul in 43 ODIs and a win for Zimbabwe would have capped a memorial day for the seamer.
However, two bad overs from spinner, Ryan Burl were probably the match’s turning point after the locals had set a below par 208 all out inside 44.4 overs.
One cannot falter debutant seamer, Faraz Akram's penultimate over of the match where he uncharacteristically gave away 13 runs with the hosts needing 11 runs for victory from 12 balls.
Akram’s combination of slow bowling and swing had troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen and he was unplayable in his entire deliveries.
However, rush of blood and inexperience of playing at such a grand stage took a toll on the 30-year-old as he conceded two boundaries in the 49th over. The Saudi-born Zimbabwean bowler finished with figures of 43 runs from 10 overs, very much respectable figures despite the last over mishap.
Towering seamer, Blessing Muzarabani, meanwhile, bowled pretty well getting one wicket for 41 runs from his 10 overs.
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Sikandar Raza was exceptional with two wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs, while spinner, Tapiwa Mufudza still searching for an elusive first ODI wicket conceded 38 runs from seven overs.
Zimbabwe captain led from the front with a 107-ball 82, Burl weighed in with 31, while Joylord Gumbie and Milton Shumba chipped in with 30 and 26 runs, respectively.
The Chevrons' greatest undoing was giving away a healthy position with the bat, 114/3 after 24.2 overs to be bundled out for 208.
Ervine admitted that they were 30 to 40 runs shot of a winning total.
“We batted reasonably well. We had a decent platform, but couldn’t cash in at the back end. We thought 240-250 was a decent score. Losing so many wickets in the back end put us back, credit to them,” Ervine said.
“Richie took his maiden fiver... had we taken the chances, it could have been a different story.”
The Chevrons are up against Sri Lanka in a day and night third ODI tomorrow.
They will draw confidence from their performance in the second ODI particularly with the ball.
An improved batting display will certainly dominate their pre match chat as they seek to draw the series level after the first ODI was washed out.
