Brian Benett delivered a Valentine Day’s gift to all the cricket lovers at Harare Sports Club with a sublime 169 to set up Zimbabwe’s 49-run win in the first ODI against Ireland on Friday.

Promoted to opener for the first time in ODI cricket, Bennett struck 56.52% of Zimbabwe’s total to give Ireland a target of 300 to chase. Along the way, he also became the fourth-youngest to score 150-plus in a men’s ODI and posted the fifth-highest ODI score by a Zimbabwe men’s batter.

The target, though, on a docile surface, was quite gettable, and Ireland went toe-to-toe for most of the chase. But they ran out of wickets – including four dismissals in their last ten deliveries of their innings – to fold for 250. Blessing Muzarabani (4 for 51) and Richard Ngarava (3 for 56) shared seven wickets, and Zimbabwe arrested their four-match losing streak to take the hosts 1-0 up.

A 9.30am start with rain in the air, and Harare historically favouring chasing sides, Ireland captain Paul Stirling made the logical call of bowling first. But Josh Little, the left-arm swing bowler, had a rough return to the ODI line-up as he conceded 35 runs in his first three overs. Bennett was the chief aggressor, pumping him for six fours in his first three overs, while Ben Curran carved another couple. He would eventually finish on 1 for 75 in nine overs with an economy of 8.33, conceding 11 fours and five wides in all.

The prolific start, and the lack of incision from the Ireland new-ball bowlers, allowed the Zimbabwe opening partnership to grow. They put on 95 for the first wicket before offspinner Andy McBrine (1 for 53) broke the stand.

There was no respite, though, as Bennett and the No. 3 Craig Ervine then added 136 in 134 balls in a second-wicket stand that was constructed masterfully. They were watchful through the middle overs with some turn in the pitch and the pair of Matthew Humphreys and McBrine appeared to strangle the pair.

While Bennett took an affinity towards point, extra cover, deep midwicket and deep square leg with his 20 fours and three sixes, Ervine was more adventurous by moving across and trying to find empty pockets over fine leg. As the stand grew and Zimbabwe’s run-rate got a boost, Bennett too played with the Ireland bowlers by using the width of his crease to create boundary-scoring opportunities.

The pair capitalised on three dropped catches and one missed stumping to bring up Zimbabwe’s 200 in the 38th over, and a big target was very much on before Ervine fell against the run of play to medium-pacer Graham Hume in the 41st over. Sikandar Raza and Wessly Madhevere, though, failed to keep the momentum up, and the big shots came from only Bennett’s end in the final ten. After batting for 216 minutes, Bennett perished in the final over trying to find a big shot, and his effort ensured Zimbabwe finished on 299 for 5.

“I was pushing them for a while to get up [to open], and happy to get that opportunity,” Bennett said after the game. “I just wanted to watch the ball and hit the ball. It’s a very good sign, and I hope to do that again on Sunday. I wanted to take it deep as one of the set batters among the top four.”

The chase began inauspiciously for Ireland as Andrew Balbirnie was caught behind off Ngarava in the first ball but the rest of Ireland’s batting unit showed enough promise that the chase could be pulled off, only to lose their wicket when the tide appeared to turn. Stirling was deceived by a Muzarabani short ball to fall for 32, Curtis Campher edged a wide ball from Raza to the keeper on 44, Harry Tector scooped Madhevere to fine leg on 39 and Lorcan Tucker inside-edged Muzarabani onto his stumps on 31.

At 169 for 6 in 35.2 overs, Ireland’s chase appeared to lose its fizz, but an eighth-wicket stand of 73 in 9.1 overs between George Dockrell (34) and McBrine (36) brought life into the game and started to make the home crowd nervous.

However, Ervine turned to Muzarabani for the 45th over, and he picked off both set batters in the space of four balls, and Ngarava wrapped up the tail in the 46th for a tame finish to a high-octane game.

“We gave Bennett a chance or two and he made us pay,” Stirling said after the defeat. “We were rusty [in the field] when we shouldn’t have been. I felt 50 runs was the difference between the two sides and the result reflects that. [A target of] 300 was chaseable, and at 30 overs we were in the hunt. But we lost our way. We bat pretty deep and hopefully we do well with the bat next game.”

Brief scores:
Zimbabwe 299 for 5 in 50 overs (Brian Bennett 169, Craig Ervine 66,Ben Curran 28; Mark  Adair 2-55) beat Ireland 250 in 46 overs (Paul Stirling 32, Curtis Campher 44, Harry Tector 39, Lorcan Tucker 31, George Dockeel34, Andy McBrine 32; Blessing  Muzarabani 4-51, Richard Ngarava 3-56, Wesley Madherve 2-12) by 49 runs

[Cricinfo]