Zimbabwe beat Board President's XI
Andy Flower smashed 94 off 103 balls as Zimbabwe warmed up for the upcoming Test series against India with a four-wicket victory at Faridabad on Wednesday.
The tourists took on a sporting target of 262 off 55 overs from the Board president's team to win the three-day match with seven balls to spare.
It was just the morale-booster Zimbabwe needed ahead of the first Test against India starting at New Delhi on Sunday.
The exciting finale was set by home captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who declared his team's second innings at 183-2, three overs after lunch.
Zimbabwe responded to the challenge by throwing their bats around to the great delight of a small, but veciforous crowd at the Nahar Singh stadium.
Gavin Rennie, who made 79 in the first innings, ensured his place for the Delhi Test with 71 in the second.
Rennie hit eight boundaries and two sixes during a third-wicket stand of 115 with Andy Flower that propelled Zimbabwe towards victory.
Flower smashed 12 fours and two sixes, before falling six runs short of his second century on the tour.
Stand-in captain Guy Whittall (26 not out) and Mluleki Nkala (22 off 19 balls) ensured the effort of the top order batsmen was not wasted.
Earlier, the president's team took their overnight score of 52-0 to 183-2 with all-rounder Virender Sehwag top-scoring with 58.
Scoreboard
Board President's XI (1st innings): 314-5 decl (H. Kanitkar 118 not out)
Zimbabwe (1st innings): 236-5 decl (G. Rennie 79, G. Flower 49)
Board President's XI (2nd innings):
R. Rickey c Strang b Nkala 44
V. Dahiya retired 23
A. Kale c A. Flower b Nkala 14
H. Kanitkar not out 33
V. Sehwag not out 58
Extras: (b6, nb5) 11
Total (for two wkts decl) 183
Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-92
Bowling: Olonga 11-1-44-0, Nkala 15-7-27-2, Friend 7-2-26-0, Murphy 15-3-35-0, G. Flower 2-1-1-0, Strang 4-0-44-0
Zimbabwe (2nd innings):
G. Flower b Saxena 4
G. Rennie c Kale b Kapoor 71
S. Carlisle c Abbas b Sanghvi 18
A. Flower c Kanitkar b Sanghvi 94
T. Madondo c Kanitkar b Sanghvi 17
G. Whittall not out 26
M. Nkala run out 22
P. Strang not out 4
Extras: (lb3, nb3) 6
Total (for six wickets) 262
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-50, 3-165, 4-197, 5-220, 6-256
Bowling: Mohanty 10-3-35-0, Saxena 7-0-29-1, Sanghvi 16.5-0-93-3, Kapoor 15-2-55-1, Kanitkar 2-0-20-0, Sehwag 3-0-27-0
Overs: 53.5 overs
Zimbabwe won by four wickets
Mail Cricket Editor
