Campbell shines as Zimbabwe pile big score

Former Zimbabwe skipper Alistair Campbell slammed an unbeaten 114 runs to help his side to a respectable 322 for six declared on the opening day of the three-day match against National Cricket Academy XI in Indore on Wednesday.

Electing to bat, Zimbabwe lost both their openers for 58 runs before Campbell struck up three useful partnerships to enable his captain to go for the kill and declare the innings at a healthy score.

NCA scored 28 runs in reply, losing the wicket of Nikhil Doru. S Sriram and night-watchman Sharandeep Singh were at the crease when stumps were drawn.

Zimbabwe openers Gavin Rennie (15) and Douglas Marillier (30) gave their team a good start, putting on 39 runs before Rennie was caught by wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra off Rakesh Patel.

Marillier, who hit seven fours and was severe on both Patel and Mrithunjay Tripathi, was the next to go, caught in the slips by Sriram off NCA skipper Reetinder Singh Sodhi.

Stuart Carlisle, who hit Sodhi for three fours in an over, then added 70 runs for the third wicket with Campbell before getting out in the second over after lunch for a well-made 61, which included 10 fours and a six. He was caught by Ratra off a Patel outswinger.

Another former skipper Andy Flower lasted just two balls before being Patel's third victim without opening his account.

The wicket had eased by then with the ball coming on to the bat at an even pace and the batsmen hardly had any difficulty facing the bowlers.

Campbell added 37 runs for the fifth wicket with new man Trevor Madondo (28) after both batsmen got a life each.

Madondo was dropped in the slips by Gautam Gambhir off his very first ball from Rakesh Patel while Campbell was dropped by Sriram also in the slips off Shivaramakrishnan when on 44.

However the best part of the Zimbabwe innings was the sixth wicket stand between stand-in captain Guy Whittall and Campbell, who had helped himself to 10 fours and two sixes when the former joined him with the score on 169.

The two added 89 runs before Whittall pulled Tripathi straight to Niraj Patel at square leg to be out for 30.

Campbell, who hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 291-minute stay at the wicket, reached his century with a flick to the leg side.

He remained unbeaten on 114 while Paul Strang was not out on 23 before the declaration came 25 minutes before close of play.

Patel, who took three wickets for 70 runs was the most successful bowler for NCA.

NCA made a shaky start in reply, losing Doru who played on to his wicket off a Bryan Strang inswinger.

Night wathcman Sharandeep (batting 5) then saw through the day in the company of Sriram (batting 8).

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe (first innings)

D Marillier c Sriram b Sodhi 30
G Rennie c Ratra b R Patel 15
S Carlisle c Ratra b R Patel 61
A Campbell not out 114
A Flower lbw b R Patel 0
T Madondo st Ratra b Shivaramakrishnan 28
G Whittall c N Patel b M Tripathi 30
P Strang not out 23
Extras (b-2, lb-7, nb-12) 21
Total (for six wickets declared) 322
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-58, 3-128, 4-132, 5-169, 6-258.
Bowling: R Patel 17-1-70-3, M Tripathi 13.4-1-71-1, R S Sodhi 15.2-1-50-1, V Shivaramakrishnan 17-3-50-1, Sharandeep Singh 11-3-39-0, M Kaif 2-1-14-0, S Sriram 3-0-19-0.

NCA XI

S Sriram batting 8
N Doru b B Strang 14
S Singh batting 5
Extras (lb-1) 1
Total (for one wicket) 28
Fall of wickets: 1-16.
Bowling: T Friend 5-2-14-0, B Strang 4-0-13-1.

Mail Cricket Editor