Australia suffered a stunning one-run loss to minnows Zimbabwe in their opening World Twenty20 warm-up match in St Lucia on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe made 173 for seven, featuring a dashing 76 from Elton Chigumbura, in their 20 overs before holding Australia to 172 for seven.
Opener David Warner top-scored for Australia with 72 and Twenty20 captain Michael Clarke made 49 but, even though left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson had earlier taken four for 23, Zimbabwe denied Australia victory.
Australia needed 13 off the final over but Clarke was dismissed off the penultimate delivery before Johnson, one of several Aussies to be run out, was exited off a wide.
Brett Lee’s leg-bye off the last ball was not enough for Australia.
Earlier, Chigumbura’s runs came from just 35 balls with six sixes and five fours in an innings where Australia all-rounder Shane Watson’s two overs went for 34.
“Obviously we would have liked to have won,” Johnson said. “It’s disappointing to lose in a practice match but we’ve just got to keep going forward, keep working hard in our training sessions and make sure we’re ready for the World Cup.”
Clarke’s side were without the rested duo of fast bowler Shaun Tait and vice-captain Cameron White.
But the pair are set to return for today’s second and final warm-up game against the Windward Islands.
Australia’s opening match of the tournament proper is against defending champions Pakistan in St Lucia on Sunday.
There was more bad new for the Aussies when veteran fast bowler Brett Lee was ruled out of the World Twenty20 after straining an arm muscle during the match against Zimbabwe, officials said yesterday.
Lee, 33, will be sent home and team officials have asked for permission to call up a replacement.
“It’s a muscle strain on the inner side of the elbow of the right arm,” a Cricket Australia spokesman said, adding that it was separate to the elbow problem which recently required surgery.
Reports said Doug Bollinger or Ryan Harris were likely to be called up if the International Cricket Council gives Australia permission to replace Lee.
In other warm-up matches, New Zealand proved too strong for Ireland in a 40-run victory in Guyana. Kiwi opener Jesse Ryder made 64 and Martin Guptill 50 as New Zealand compiled 187 for five in their 20 overs.
Ireland then struggled with captain William Porterfield’s 34, the top score in a total of 147 for nine. Nathan McCullum led New Zealand’s attack with three for 25.
The Black Caps are in action against Sri Lanka, last year’s losing finalists, and Ireland face hosts the West Indies in a double-bill that will open the tournament in Guyana tomorrow.
Pakistan overwhelmed the Windward Islands by 68 runs in a warm-up match in St Lucia while, in Bridgetown, Bangladesh beat Barbados by 36 runs.
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