Late tumble of wickets lifts gloom for Zimbabwe

HEADINGLEY (Zimbabwe won toss): New Zealand, with seven wickets in hand, need 106 runs to beat Zimbabwe

NEW Zealand should win their first Super Six match when it resumes, weather permitting, at Headingley this morning, but not if, like almost everyone else, they continue to underestimate Zimbabwe. It was beginning to look like a quick and facile victory for New Zealand at around 6.30pm on a grey and chilly evening. They had stifled expertly with the ball after another incisive new-ball spell by Geoff Allott, then sparkled initially with the bat as Matthew Horne and Nathan Astle blazed their way to 58 for seven off eight overs; but they lost three wickets for 11 in the next five overs.

When bad light ended play soon after 7pm on a frustrating, squally day, Stephen Fleming, calmly and elegantly as he was batting in the suddenly transformed atmosphere, had little option but to accept the invitation to come off. Zimbabwe had kept their unexpected chance of a place in the World Cup semi-finals alive, despite what still appears likely to be an inadequate total of 175. They will have to produce more moments of inspiration like the one that saw Heath Streak swoop low to his left at extra cover to catch a fierce drive by Astle, but this is a Headingley pitch with familiar cracks and no less familiar uneven bounce.

New Zealand need only 106 more runs with seven wickets and 35.1 overs in hand. If it should come to the first Duckworth/Lewis adjudication of the tournament, they would win comfortably on any normal progression from their present position, provided there are at least 10.1 more overs bowled to produce the 25 for the side batting second that, according to the rules, constitute a match. A win for Zimbabwe would virtually ensure a semi-final place; two points for New Zealand would bring them level with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

The consequent need to keep the net run-rate as high as possible explains why New Zealand batted as purposefully as they did after Allott's three wickets had made him, with 18, the equal-highest wicket-taker in any World Cup. Roger Binny, in 1983, Craig McDermott, in 1987, and Wasim Akram, in 1992, all finished with 18 wickets, but the powerfully built Allott has every chance of several more. The discovery of an inswinger after coaching from Dayle Hadlee has combined with his strength and pace - his fastest ball yesterday was recorded at 91mph - to make him the complete article. Any side with a fast left-arm bowler possessed of an inswinger is, as Jane Austen might have put it, in want of a trophy.

He took his two new-ball wickets after Horne, with a quick pick-up and direct hit on the stumps from square leg, had run out Grant Flower in the third over. Dion Nash could not find a consistent length up the slope and Neil Johnson pulled, cut and drove five fours before Allott bowled him off inside edge and boot. He then found extra bounce to claim Andy Flower in the gully with the help of a sliding catch by McMillan.

Either side of a lengthy break for rain, Murray Goodwin, pulling hard at the short ball, shared a useful stand with Alistair Campbell. They picked up runs in the gaps, even against Gavin Larsen's wonderfully consistent medium-paced variations, but after a second break at 134 for six from 36 overs, they failed to accelerate with the necessary urgency.

Horne and Astle gave New Zealand a blistering start, but Horne hit across the line and Streak followed up his brilliant diving catch with a palpable leg-before against McMillan, who had got only half-forward when a good length ball thudded into his front pad. At the least, it made New Zealand reconsider their tactics. For a stalwart crowd, 1,500 short of the Headingley capacity of 14,000, it was late reward for a day of largely colourless cricket.

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