Zimbabwe A – 195 and 171 all out in 39.5 overs (Brian Bennett 56, Ainsley Ndlovu 24*, Tadiwanashe Marumani 18; Callum Parkinson 6/58, Oliver Gibson 2/42, Jonathan Bushnell 1/17)
Durham – 305 all out and 62-1 in 15.3 overs (Ben McKinney 32*, Jonathan Bushnell 17*, Michael Jones 4; Victor Nyauchi 1/13) Durham won by nine wickets
Durham’s two new signings excelled on their first-class debut for the club as Colin Ackermann and Callum Parkinson helped Durham to a 9 wicket win over Zimbabwe A at Harare Sports Club.
Ackermann’s 130 from 145 balls was key to Durham’s win before Callum Parkinson picked up his sixth first-class five-for claiming 6/58.
Durham began the day on 187 for six in reply to the home side’s total of 195, and turned their score into 305, due mainly to the skill of Ackermann, who was on 81 while his partner Ben Raine had 25.
Raine did most of the early scoring, reaching his fifty in a partnership of 76 between the pair, before he was out to a fine diving catch by Clive Madande at the wicket off Donald Tiripano for 51 off 73 balls.
Ackermann reached his century off 120 balls, which was a fine knock playing in his first game since transferring from Leicestershire.
Callum Parkinson proved another solid partner for him, and this pair added 50 runs for the ninth wicket before Ackermann was finally caught off Victor Nyauchi for 130. He faced 145 balls and hit two sixes and 16 fours.
A few more hits from Parkinson took the Durham score to 305 before the last man was out, Parkinson finishing unbeaten with 37.
Ainsley Ndlovu took another wicket today to finish with figures of five wickets for 85 runs in 21 overs, Durham having gained a first-innings lead of 110.
Parkinson, also featured as Durham’s most troublesome bowler in Zimbabwe A’s second innings.
The first three batters were dismissed with 44 runs on the board, but Bennett was the man who stood out above his team-mates.
Wickets fell steadily at the other end, mainly to Parkinson, but Bennett made 56 off 74 balls, including 10 fours, before he too was bowled by the left-arm spinner at 129 for seven.
Johnathan Campbell did not get going this time and was bowled for three.
Ndlovu, as in the first innings, was the only other batter to reach 20, being unbeaten with 24 when the innings closed for a disappointing 171.
Parkinson finished with six wickets for 58 runs off 15 overs, and Durham had a target of only 62 runs to chase down, with enough time to do so before the close.
Jonathan Bushnell (17 not out) and the more aggressive Ben McKinney (32 not out) scored quite freely and saw Durham home to victory just before the scheduled close.
The two teams square up again for the second three-day match which begins next Tuesday, 27 February, at Takashinga Cricket Club.
Zimbabwe A – 195 all out in 49 overs (Johnathan Campbell 72, Ainsley Ndlovu 27, Roy Kaia 19; Stanley McAlindon 3/34, Ben Raine 2/40, Colin Ackermann 1/5)
Durham – 187-6 in 40 overs (Colin Ackermann 81*, Scott Borthwick 53, Ben Raine 25*; Ainsley Ndlovu 4/43, Victor Nyauchi 1/35, Cuthbert Musoko 1/46)
Day 1 – Stumps: Durham trail by eight runs
Colin Ackermann got his Durham first-class career off to a strong start with an unbeaten 81* as Durham began their pre-season tour against Zimbabwe A at Harare Sports Club.
Zimbabwe A won the toss and decided to bat and were soon in trouble, as Johnathan Campbell and Ainsley Ndlovu stood out for Zimbabwe A on a day of tumbling wickets.
Campbell propped up a faltering Zimbabwean innings, with help from Ndlovu, whose bowling was to trouble the tourists during the afternoon.
Zimbabwe A decided to bat first on winning the toss, and were soon in trouble.
Nkosana Mpofu quickly went for six to Stanley McAlindon while Matthew Welch briefly looked good, hitting three successive fours, before he was caught at the wicket for 14 to give Haydon Mustard his maiden first-class behind the stumps, as both openers fell to Stanley McAlindon.
Mustard who made his first-class debut had been presented with his Durham cap by former Durham quick and now lead bowling coach Graham Onions ahead of play on day 1.
Wickets fell steadily, as Brian Bennett went for seven, Tadiwanashe Marumani for three and Roy Kaia for 19.
Campbell by way of contrast was in superb form from the start, striking a stream of fours while his partners struggled.
He put on 40 with Clive Madande, who made eight of them, and 27 with Donald Tiripano (14).
Campbell finally miscued an attempted hook and skyed a catch off McAlindon, having scored 72 off only 64 balls, including 13 fours.
Ndlovu was the only other batter to reach 20, making 27 before he was run out.
Zimbabwe A were all out for 195, which appeared to be a poor effort against the county team.
McAlindon with three for 34 off only eight overs was the most successful bowler, as the Durham seamer claimed a first-class best.
Ben Raine claimed 2/40 while Bushnell, Parkinson, Ackermann and Borthwick all struck.
When Durham batted, they lost Michael Jones to the first ball of the innings – he edged a catch to the wicketkeeper and sportingly walked off without even a look at the umpire.
Durham are known for their aggressive batting approach, and Scott Borthwick quickly hammered Musoko for four successive fours.
The tourists reached 45 in the eighth over before Ben McKinney was caught off Cuthbert Musoko for 18.
Colin Ackermann then joined Borthwick and they raced past the hundred mark with only two wickets down.
Then Borthwick became Ndlovu’s first victim, bowled out for 53, scored off 69 balls with seven fours.
In five overs from Ndlovu, Durham lost Jonathan Bushell, Graham Clark and Haydon Mustard in quick succession, and the county side found themselves six wickets down for 153.
However, Ackermann was still there, and Ben Raine showed form too, so by the close Durham had reached 187 for six wickets in 40 overs, just eight runs short of taking the lead.
Ackermann was still there with 81 off 86 balls to his credit, while Raine had 25.