English cricket team in Zimbabwe in 1996–97

English cricket team in Zimbabwe in 1996–97
 
  Zimbabwe England
Dates 15 December 1996 – 3 January 1997
Captains Alistair Campbell Michael Atherton
Test series
Result 2-match series drawn 0–0
Most runs Alistair Campbell (135) Alec Stewart (241)
Most wickets Paul Strang (10) Robert Croft (8)
One Day International series
Results Zimbabwe won the 3-match series 3–0
Most runs Alistair Campbell (126) Alec Stewart (96)
Most wickets Eddo Brandes (7) Darren Gough (7)

The English cricket team toured Zimbabwe for a two-match Test series and a three-match One Day International (ODI) series between 15 December 1996 and 3 January 1997. The Test series was drawn 0–0[1] and Zimbabwe won the ODI series 3–0.[2] It was England's first senior tour of Zimbabwe.[3]

Test series

1st Test

18–22 December 1996
Scorecard
v
376 (137.5 overs)
Andy Flower 112 (331)
Chris Silverwood 3/63 (18 overs)
406 (151.4 overs)
Nasser Hussain 113 (278)
Paul Strang 5/123 (58.4 overs)
234 (101 overs)
Guy Whittall 56 (184)
Phil Tufnell 4/61 (31 overs)
204/6 (37 overs)
Nick Knight 96 (117)
Paul Strang 2/63 (14 overs)
Match drawn
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Umpires: Steve Dunne (NZ) and Ian Robinson (Zim)
Player of the match: Nick Knight (Eng)
  • Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
  • This was the first Test in history to finish in a draw with the scores level. England needed three runs to win off the final ball of the match, but Nick Knight was run out attempting the third run.

2nd Test

26–30 December 1996
Scorecard
v
156 (83.1 overs)
John Crawley 47* (169)
Guy Whittall 4/18 (16 overs)
215 (105 overs)
Grant Flower 73 (255)
Darren Gough 4/40 (26 overs)
195/3 (93 overs)
Alec Stewart 101* (267)
Paul Strang 2/42 (26 overs)
Match drawn
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Umpires: KT Francis (SL) and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
Player of the match: Grant Flower (Zim)
  • Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.
  • No play on day 5 because of overnight rain.

ODI series

1st ODI

15 December 1996
Scorecard
England 
152 (45.5 overs)
v
 Zimbabwe
153/8 (43.5 overs)
Nasser Hussain 49* (87)
John Rennie 3/27 (8 overs)
Andy Waller 48 (71)
Alan Mullally 2/24 (10 overs)
Zimbabwe won by 2 wickets
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Umpires: Quintin Goosen (Zim) and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
Player of the match: Alistair Campbell (Zim)
  • Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.

2nd ODI

1 January 1997
Scorecard
Zimbabwe 
200 (48.5 overs)
v
 England
179/7 (42 overs)
Andy Flower 63 (114)
Darren Gough 4/43 (8.5 overs)
John Crawley 73 (109)
Paul Strang 3/24 (9 overs)
Zimbabwe won by 6 runs (D/L method)
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Umpires: Graeme Evans (Zim) and Ian Robinson (Zim)
Player of the match: John Crawley (Eng) and Paul Strang (Zim)
  • England won the toss and elected to field.
  • Rain reduced the England innings to 42 overs, with a revised target of 185 runs.
  • This match was the first use in international cricket of the D/L method.[4]

3rd ODI

3 January 1997
Scorecard
Zimbabwe 
249/7 (50 overs)
v
 England
118 (30 overs)
Alistair Campbell 80* (103)
Craig White 1/39 (7 overs)
Robert Croft 30* (37)
Eddo Brandes 5/28 (10 overs)
Zimbabwe won by 131 runs
Harare Sports Club, Harare
Umpires: Russell Tiffin (Zim) and Ian Robinson (Zim)
Player of the match: Eddo Brandes (Zim)
  • England won the toss and elected to field.
  • Eddo Brandes took the first ODI hat-trick for Zimbabwe.

See also

References

  1. ^ "England in Zimbabwe Test Series 1996/97 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  2. ^ "England in Zimbabwe ODI Series 1996/97 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Wisden Cricket Monthly / Features / Not in their widest dreams". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Frank Duckworth, statistician who co-devised the Duckworth-Lewis Method of deciding cricket matches – obituary". Daily Telegraph. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024. The Duckworth-Lewis Method had its first outing during a one-day international in Harare between Zimbabwe and England in January 1997: Zimbabwe had made 200, but the tourists, having lost eight overs to rain, were given a D/L target of 185, which they failed to reach.