Monitoring Desk
DUBAI: Off-spinner Wessly Madhevere turned the second ODI between Zimbabwe and Netherlands on its head, by picking up a hat-trick in the 43rd over.
Zimbabwe had been bowled out for 271 in 49.2 overs, but like with the first ODI, drama unfolded in the second innings. The backbone of Zimbabwe’s happened to be a 104-run stand between Sean Williams (77) and Clive Madande (52). For Netherlands, Shariz Ahmad starred with 5/43, his first five-for in ODI cricket.
At one stage, Netherlands were cruising towards the target of 272, with Tom Cooper (74) and Max O’Dowd (81) going great guns. However, a run-out sent Cooper packing in the 33rd over, and Sikandar Raza accounted for O’Dowd in the 41st over.
Still at the start of the 44th over, the equation was in favour of Netherlands, as the tourists needed 59 runs from 42 balls with seven wickets in hand.
Madhevere, however, changed the course of the game with the first three balls of his over.
Colin Ackermann was stumped by Madande, Teja Nidamanuru was bowled off the very next ball and Paul van Meekeren suffered the same fate off the third delivery.
This meant that Madhevere had become just the third Zimbabwean to achieve an ODI hat-trick, and Netherlands had slipped from 213/3 to 213/6.
Eddo Brandes and Prosper Utseya are the only other Zimbabwe players with an ODI hat-trick. The hat-trick proved crucial as Zimbabwe won a thrilling contest by just one run.
