Related Links : Twenty20 World Championship 2007 : Scorecard
England batted and bowled beautifully at Cape Town to keep a highly confident Zimbabwe down. Kevin Pietersen led the way with his power hitting to set a big total and the bowlers brought all their Twenty20 experience to good effect to help England win by a huge margin of 50 runs. Zimbabwe had played well though giving a scare or two to England at the start of their chase.
Paul Collingwood took the brave option of batting first on a slow Newlands wicket in Cape Town. Elton Chigumbura cast the doubts in the English camp about the decision with a couple of quick wickets which included the dangerous Luke Wright, who was out for a first ball duck. Matt Prior pulled things back scoring 20 from 14 with 2 fours and a six that got England past the 50 in the six overs of field restrictions. After that cameo from Prior, it was a Pietersen-Collingwood show for the next 10 overs. Both batsmen smashed 100 runs for the fourth wicket with KP batting as if he had a point to prove to the South Africans. The South African born not only got his powerful shots batting right handed but also surprised and stunned everyone by sweeping a six over covers with a reverse sweep after turning his stance like a left hander! Pietersen’s 79 from 37 had 7 fours and 4 sixes. England’s push towards hitting a big total was given a jolt by a flurry of wickets which started with Collingwood’s wicket. Collingwood batted well for his 37 from 28 which had two sixes. England were towards the end restricted to 188 for 9 with the likes of Freddie Flintoff, Mascarenhas failing. Elton Chigumbura was the bowling star with 4 for 31 in his four overs.
Vusumuzi Sibanda and Brendan Taylor after their success against Aussies last night continued from where they had left. Zimbabwe looked very much in the hunt with the partnership already at 74 in the 9th over but Sibanda once again threw away his wicket playing a rash shot. Sibanda made 29 from 25 with 5 fours. Mascarenhas was the wicket taker who went onto take the wickets of Taibu and Taylor to push Zimbabwe back with some excellent variations like the leg cutters, outswingers and inswingers. Taylor’s was the big wicket, falling for a well made 47 from 39 which had 4 fours and 2 sixes. After Taylor’s fight, it was too difficult for the new batsmen to walk in and score runs at a high pace. Chris Scofield, the leg spinner bowled intelligently taking up two wickets in his 4 overs besides giving away just 15. Mascarenhas had earlier done the damage with his superb 3 for 18 in his 4 overs. Eventually Zimbabwe were reduced to 138 for 7.