SECOND XI REPORT: Lancashire beat Zimbabwe Academy by four wickets
Zimbabwe Academy 206 all out (47.1 overs) Walker 4-25, Boyden 3-41
Lancashire Second XI 207-6 (39 overs) Kennedy 66, Boyden 41, Hussain 35*
Lancashire Second XI won by 4 wickets
The Second XI enjoyed a four-wicket victory against the touring Zimbabwe Academy team at Westhoughton CC yesterday.
The tourists opening pair Lennox Chando and Matthew Campbell began brightly with an opening stand worth 51 before Chando was caught behind for 22 midway through the 14th over, the first of four wickets for Lowerhouse seamer Tom Walker.
Charlie Parkinson had Ronak Patel taken by Carney for a duck in the following over but Campbell and Zimbabwe skipper Panashe Taruvinga rebuilt with a 54-run alliance for the third wicket, ended when Luca Doyle bowled Campbell for 52.
The visitors responded with a third partnership of fifty plus runs between Taruvinga and Ryan Kamwemba for the fourth wicket, the pair adding 61 inside 15 overs until the former fell for 45 to leg spinner Haider Hussain.
That left Zimbabwe on 169-4 in the 40th over and the tourists lost wickets steadily from that point, Walker bowling Kamwemba for 36 before Josh Boyden took three wickets in three overs. Walker then claimed the final two wickets with Zimbabwe Academy all out for 206 in the 48th over.
After Kesh Fonseka was bowled by Anesu Kamuriwo off the first ball of the Lancashire reply, Miller Childs and Lucas Kennedy settled into a good partnership that produced 88 runs inside 15 overs.
The visitors hit back taking three wickets for 14 runs, Childs falling to Ryan Simbi for 28, Jack Carney bowled by Victor Chirwa for 8 and Henry Murray lbw to Simbi for 2.
Kennedy, who hit one six and 7 fours in making an excellent 66 off 76 balls, was bowled by Chirwa to leave Lancashire 124-5 midway through the 26th over but an attacking 63-run stand between Boyden and Hussain settled the outcome of the match.
Boyden smashed three sixes and three fours in making 41 off 33 balls while Hussain made an unbeaten 35 off 46 balls and the loss of Boyden, caught behind off Kamuriwo with 20 runs required, meant Walker (8 not out) was at the crease alongside Hussain when Lancashire clinched victory with 11 overs to spare.
Lancashire: Kesh Fonseka (capt), Miller Childs, Lucas Kennedy, Henry Murray, Haider Hussain, Luca Doyle, Tom Walker, Charlie Parkinson, Hassan Mughal, Jack Carney (wkt), Josh Boyden, Brad Barrow.