UAE go down fighting in rain-hit second ODI

UAE's batting mainstay Shaiman Anwar scored his 11th half-century. (File)

The UAE coach Dougie Brown had asked his men to raise their game and show some fight following the defeat in the first one-day international. And his lads responded in fantastic fashion taking the second fixture right down to the wire, only to be denied my Mother Nature on Friday.
The UAE's batting mainstay Shaiman Anwar and Ghulam Shabber came up with a fine rearguard following a collapse to post 169 for eight after the rain-interrupted match in Harare was cut short to 35 overs.
Zimbabwe needed to chase a revised target of 210 in the 35 overs and as it headed for a tantalizing finish in near darkness, the hosts finished up at 185 for four in 32 overs and were declared winners by the Duckworth-Lewis Method. The target after 32 overs was 182.
Zimbabwe took a 2-0 lead in the four-match series following their seven-wicket win in the first ODI.
Earlier, the UAE were again unlucky with the toss and were put in by opposition captain Peter Moor. And the visitors were precariously placed at 12 for three in seven overs with opener Rohan Mustafa out for nought, his partner Ashfaq Ahmed for eight and Muhammad Usman also out for a duck.
But Anwar and Shabber joined forces and pulled them back with a crucial 131-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Anwar scored his 11th half-century, his 72 coming from 73 deliveries with seven boundaries and two sixes, while Shabber brought up his fourth fifty, his 56 coming from 88 balls with three boundaries.
There was a rain interruption in between with the UAE on 122 for three in 29 overs with Anwar batting on 57 and Shabber on 49. And just when things were looking good, it showered yet again. And after a lengthy delay, play resumed with the game reduced to 35 overs. The UAE batsmen threw their bat around to score 47 runs for the loss of six wickets after the rain delay.
Medium pace Kyle Jarvis snapped up four for 17, while fellow pacer Donald Tiripano picked three for 34.
Zimbabwe were in a spot of bother at 92 for four with off-spinner Rohan Mustafa removing opener Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine. But Moor and Regis Chakabva ensured there were no further hiccups with an unbeaten stand of 93 for the fifth wicket.
Chakabve remained not out on 78 from 101 balls with five boundaries, while Moor made an unbeaten 45 from 33 balls with three sixes and a boundary.
The third ODI is on Sunday.

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