There were signs of improvement for Canada in their second match of a four match series against Zimbabwe A today, but they still lost as they prepare for their WCL Division 2 campaign later this month.

Batting first after winning the toss, Canada started poorly with both openers dismissed cheaply by Tawanda Mupariwa. The middle order recovered somewhat, but no single batsman was able to get anything like a decent start, their top score being Nikhil Dutta's 33.

Canada's total from their 50 overs was 170-9, with Tawanda Mupariwa the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-28.

The home side's reply started in disastrous fashion as the first three wickets fell with just six runs on the board. Another 16 runs were added for the fourth wicket, but with Zimbabwe A on 22-4 in the 11th over, Canada were surprisingly on top in the game. Craig Ervine and Timycen Maruma then put on 60 to help the Zimbabweans recover.

Another mini collapse later on saw the hosts go from 104-5 to 110-8, with Ervine falling just short of his half-century on 46. Captain Prosper Utseya and Tawanda Mupariwa were able to swing the game back the way of Zimbabwe A with a ninth wicket partnership of fifty, and the hosts completed a one wicket win with four balls to spare.

The sides will meet again at the same venue on Saturday.

Zimbabwe A beat Canada by 1 wicket
Harare Sports Club, 8 January
Canada 170-9 (50 overs, T Mupariwa 4-28)
Zimbabwe A 176-9 (49.2 overs, C Ervine 46, P Utseya 36*, C Pervez 4-18)