Date-stamped : 01 Jan97 - 14:13 LUNCHTIME SUMMARY, SECOND ODI, ZIMBABWE v ENGLAND At Harare Sports Club, between two evenly-matched teams, there is always a significant advantage to the side who win the toss and put their opponents in. The only life in the one-day pitches comes during the first hour, when the batting team spends the first 15 overs, not taking advantage of the fielding restrictions, but trying to ensure they keep their wickets intact. Today, it was Zimbabwe's handicap as they were put in to bat. Their eventual score of 200 was most creditable as they had at one stage slumped to 38/4. The first wicket to fall could not be blamed on a lively pitch, but rather on a vicious yorker from Mullally which removed Waller's leg stump in the first over. Grant Flower took a long time to get off the mark, then drove a superb four through the covers, and next ball hit a low catch to Hussain at cover. It might have been better had he set his sights on anchoring the innings and staying until the end. This role was to fall on his brother Andy, once Houghton had been caught off a skier and Campbell off a thin edge to the keeper. Even at this stage, though, runs were still coming at a handy rate, never less than three an over. Evans started to bat aggressively as the pitch eased, not afraid to hit the ball in the air. He was eventually adjudged lbw hitting across the line. Guy Whittall was superbly run out by Hussain, while Paul Strang was well caught at leg slip off bat and pad. At last Streak provided Flower with the partner he needed, playing some good aggressive strokes, and they took the score to 200, which had never looked likely earlier on. The last few overs of the innings were wasted, as Flower, after reaching a fine fifty, then skied a catch which was taken by the keeper running back. Brandes, who might have provided some big hits, mistimed a drive to short midwicket and Rennie was yorked, the last three wickets falling without a further run scored. In between a bad start and a bad finish, Zimbabwe batted well. Although England are probably favourites to overhaul this total, the joker in the pack, as usual, is the weather. Some areas are going to cop a real packet this afternoon, and are probably getting it already. There are heavy clouds around the ground, and it is a real possibility that this match might be destroyed. FINAL SUMMARY, SECOND ODI, ZIMBABWE v ENGLAND Zimbabwe (200) beat England (179/7) on superior run rate. In another thrilling finish, Zimbabwe took their first official one-day series with another victory over England. After a lunchtime shower had reduced the number of overs for the England innings, the target was revised, using the Duckworth/Lewis method, to 185 in 42 overs. Fine Zimbabwe bowling and fielding won the day over an inconsistent batting performance. When England batted, tight Zimbabwe bowling prevented England from scoring off the bat in the first two overs; Knight, frustrated, began hitting out rashly and quickly hit a low catch to mid-off. Stewart soon got the measure of the bowling, however, and played some superb aggressive strokes, while Crawley, coming in at Number Three, soon found his confidence. The score increased rapidly, and England looked on their way. The turning point came when Whittall came on and quickly had Stewart edging a catch to the wicketkeeper. At this stage the England scoring rate was over five per over. Fortunately, a crucial umpiring decision did not affect the result. The Zimbabweans believed that they had Crawley, when on 37, caught at the wicket but the umpire rejected the appeal. Crawley went on almost to double that score before he was eventually dismissed. Hussain, who is having a mixed tour with the bat, was out lbw but, after a wary start, Atherton found his timing and he and Crawley appeared to be making an England victory likely. But when Atherton was caught by long-on, running in, the balance changed again. Slowly England began to fall behind the scoring rate. In desperation Crawley tried to charge Strang, only to get a bottom edge and be stumped by the keeper; soon after- wards Irani was also stumped advancing down the pitch. England had not paid quite enough attention to keeping up with the scoring rate, and they began to suffer the consequences. New batsmen White and Croft were rarely able to pierce the field. 19 were required off the last two overs, but only three came from the penultimate over, bowled by Streak. Campbell put his faith in Rennie ahead of Brandes or Strang to bowl the final over, with 16 needed. Croft snicked the first ball, a full toss, for four, then took two to long-on and ran a bye to the keeper. The new batsman Gough hit a single to long-on and they could only scamper another bye to the fifth ball. With seven needed to win, Zimbabwe could only lose the match if Rennie bowled a wide or a no-ball, a not infrequent occurrence, but he did not let them down. The crowd swarmed on to the field to acclaim Zimbabwe's first one-day series victory since gaining Test status and the English press were left scratching their heads, trying to think up more vituperative phrases to use at England's expense. This tour has stretched their vocabularies beyond the limit. Crawley and Strang were joint winners of the Man of the Match award. The final match is due to be played on Friday; England will be trying to salvage a little pride, but Zimbabwe will be desperately eager to make it a clean sweep. Contributed by John.Ward (ZCU)