Tatenda Taibu

Canada v Zimbabwe, World Cup 2011, Group A, Nagpur

Taibu, Ervine lead Zimbabwe's recovery

Tatenda Taibu and Craig Ervine helped Zimbabwe recover from a horror start against Canada at Nagpur, adding an unbeaten 140 for the third wicket to take their team to 147 for 2 at the halfway mark after they had lost both openers within the first four overs. Canada's new-ball bowlers made a determined start and there was a real buzz in the field after the early strikes, but as the shine went from the new ball and the sun baked all life from the wicket the batsmen settled in and a large total looms.

Canada captain Ashish Bagai suggested at the toss, won by Zimbabwe, that he would've bowled first in the hope of taking advantage of any early-morning life in the wicket and Canada got just the start they wanted when a Khurram Chohan inswinger trapped Brendan Taylor in front of his stumps with the very first ball of the innings.

Tatenda Taibu

Three overs later Charles Coventry swiped across a straight one from Harvir Baidwan to depart in similar fashion and a shell-shocked Zimbabwe were looking decidedly wobbly at 7 for 2. The early wickets brought the Canadian fielders to life and, throwing themselves around, a good few runs were saved - particularly in the covers.

Chohan maintained an impeccable line throughout an opening six-over spell that cost just 16 but as the shine came off the new ball the conditions eased for the batsmen. Taibu took two boundaries from offspinner Jimmy Hansra's first over, another brace from his second, to calm Zimbabwe's nerves.

He barely dipped below a-run-a-ball thereafter, bringing up a 46-ball fifty in the 15th over and playing with increasing fluency. Ervine, who made a cautious start to his innings with 17 from his first 35 balls, eventually began to pick up the tempo too and used a variety of sweep shots against the spinners to good effect as the partnership passed 100.

Canada thought they had the breakthrough when a Balaji Rao full toss struck Taibu on the pad at the start of the 22nd over, a huge appeal being upheld by Umpire Asad Rauf. Taibu knew he'd got a touch on it, however, immediately calling for the review and earning a reprieve. Ervine brought up his own fifty, from 55 balls, shortly afterwards and after an early stutter a platform was built from which Zimbabwe could expect to reach an imposing total.

Canada: 1 Nitish Kumar, 2 John Davison, 3 Ruvindu Gunasekara, 4 Ashish Bagai (capt/wk), 5 Jimmy Hansra, 6 Zubin Surkari, 7 Tyson Gordon, 8 Rizwan Cheema, 9 Khurram Chohan, 10 Harvir Baidwan, 11 Balaji Rao

Zimbabwe: 1 Brendan Taylor, 2 Charles Coventry, 3 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Sean Williams, 6 Greg Lamb, 7 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Ray Price, 11 Chris Mpofu

Liam Brickhill is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo