Raza, Cremer floor Scots

A five-for from captain Graeme Cremer and a half century off the willow of Sikandar Raza handed Zimbabwe a six wicket victory over Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday.

After a 26 run loss in the first match Zimbabwe needed to bounce back and they did in style.

With the pace of Tendai Chatara and Chris Mpofu in for Richard Ngarava blunt and costly it was down to the spin effort to do the work.

Cremer’s five wicket haul came at the cost of just 29 runs and it was he who got rid of the dangerous Scot captain Kyle Coetzer for 61.

Coetzer and Calum Mcleod (58) were the only ones to get meaningful runs. In fact,Michael Laesk was the only other player to get to double figures.

Scotland were bowled out for 169 in 42 overs.

Zimbabwe looked to make a fast start of it with the opening pair scoring 30 before first Solomon Mire and then Hamilton Masakadza a run later fell to Chris Sole.

Sole then accounted for Sean Williams and suddenly at 44-3 the match looked finely balanced.

Raza joined Craig Ervine at the crease and the pair pushed on to steady the ship.

Josh Davey produced an outswinger which sent Ervine’s off stump cartwheeling for 30 but Ryan Burl (30) and Raza (58) took the match home with a 72 run partnership to win the match with 13 overs to spare.

The series ends 1-1 and the Chevrons now hop over to the Netherlands where they play three ODIs before the big tour of Sri Lanka.

Quick fact: Graeme Cremer is the first Zimbabwean to pick up three five wicket hauls in ODIs

And another: Ryan Burl bowled his first international over. Chris Sole is his first international wicket