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Zimbabwe given all-round lesson

Derbyshire (179-5) bt Zimbabwe (178) by 5 wkts

Rusty Zimbabwe were trounced by a Derbyshire side lacking five senior players and never came to terms with a low, slow pitch with either bat or ball.

David Houghton, their coach, condemned their innings as ``schoolboy cricket'' but he should be more concerned at the ease with which Matthew Cassar and Michael May porridged his bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Put in, Zimbabwe tried to attack but too often the ball did not come on to the bat and both openers were caught off mistimed drives.

Houghton's criticism was aimed at the way the middle order failed to run the ball into gaps to keep the board ticking over and were becalmed by the left-arm spin of Glenn Roberts and Vincent Clarke's leg-breaks. Only 88 runs came from the second half of a disappointing effort.

Eddo Brandes, taking the place of Heath Streak, batted bravely but the pitch did not assist his bowling and it took a run-out to break the opening partnership when Steve Stubbings hesitated and failed to beat a throw from third man.

Cassar smashed Andy Whittal's off-breaks for consecutive sixes and added 18 in his next over to pass 50 with three sixes and three fours from 74 balls.

By the time the more subdued May holed out to deep midwicket, the stand of 120 in 28 overs had sealed a bad day for the Africans which a late flurry of wickets could not ameliorate.