Shenley tour game ends in a draw

The exciting finish hoped for in the match between Middlesex and the Zimbabwean tourists at Shenley Park did not quite materialise, although the final session was never without interest. Quick wickets after tea extinguished the Zimbabweans' hopes of victory, but sound batting by Tatenda Taibu and Grant Flower ensured they saved the match with honour.

A brilliant innings by Owais Shah, who almost scored a century before lunch, was the highlight of the day. Shah cracked 93 in the session, which was shortened by half-an-hour by some early drizzle. He hit Sean Ervine for a six, and Raymond Price for two, one of which nearly reached the car-park. Shah sprinted to his century - from only 80 balls - with two fours immediately after lunch.

At that point Middlesex declared, setting the Zimbabweans needed 338 to win in 68 overs. Dion Ebrahim and Mark Vermeulen began confidently, although Middlesex's opening bowler Tim Bloomfield seemed to be pursuing a personal vendetta against Ebrahim, submitting him to a barrage of bouncers and hitting him more than once. Ebrahim had most of the early strike and scored most of the early runs, but then Vermeulen caught him and they ran neck and neck.

They put on 87 before Vermeulen fell in a rather unusual way for 42. Michael Brown took the ball low down behind the wicket, and there was a muted appeal. After consultation between the umpires Vermeulen was given out. This proved to be the turning point of the day. Barney Rogers soon followed for 6, trying to force the pace but mistiming a drive to give Bloomfield the easiest of catches at mid-off.

Sean Ervine replaced him and played a couple of beautifully timed drives through the field, while Ebrahim kept his end intact. He reached his fifty just after tea, from 101 balls, but Ervine did not last much longer, bowled sweeping at Paul Weekes for 21.

Vusi Sibanda's first and only innings of the tour lasted just three scoreless balls before he was bowled by Weekes. That meant the Zimbabweans were 126 for 4, and in a certain amount of trouble. Ebrahim and Taibu ran some quick singles, but the loss of Ebrahim, caught at second slip off slow left-armer Chris Peploe for 64, ended Zimbabwe's hopes of victory.

Middlesex now had the spinners on at both ends, but Flower and Taibu played with such assurance that it hardly appeared that they were trying to stave off defeat. They hit the loose ball well, but made no attempt on what was now a highly improbable victory. Middlesex decided to call it a day after only 30 minutes of the final hour, with Flower on 43 and Taibu - undefeated in his first match as Zimbabwe's captain - 37.