MICHAEL Lumb's powerful unbeaten 66 could not prevent Yorkshire losing to Zimbabwe by 32 runs at Headingley on Saturday, but his exciting performance still whetted the appetite for what he may serve up next season when he is eligible to play for them in the Championship.
The 21-year-old South African- born left-hander is the son of former Yorkshire opener Richard Lumb, who featured in 29 first wicket stands with Geoff Boycott, and first indications are that Michael could also have a fine county career ahead of him.
Signed by Yorkshire at the end of last season after successful trials with the Second XI, this was Lumb's first class debut and he marked it with a second innings half century full of robust shots.
When he ran out of partners at 147, after coming in at an uncomfortable 13 for four, he had struck a dozen boundaries, all with considerable force, off the 120 balls he received. But the early collapse, followed by some weak later order support for Lumb, meant that victory deservedly went to Zimbabwe with Yorkshire missing out on the £11,000 in prize money which they would have received if they had won the Vodafone Challenge match.Poor Zimbabwe got no such pay-out, however, although fast bowler 'Pommie' Mbangwa scooped the man-of-the-match award for his astonishing match figures of ten for 53, following up his first innings haul of six for 14 with four for 39.
Appropriately it was Mbangwa who claimed the wicket of last man Matthew Hoggard to bring Zimbabwe their first ever first class win on a tour of England.
A 180 target on an awkward batting pitch was never going to be easy for Yorkshire but they left themselves with a mountain to climb after losing their first four wickets so cheaply, three of them going down to Mbangwa who induced false shots with balls which moved around and often 'popped'.
Lumb, however, hauled Yorkshire back into the game with some great shots, particularly through the covers, although two splendid legside strokes were mirror images of his father.
He was helped in starting the revival by Gary Fellows, who seemed unfortunate to be given out caught behind pushing at Bryan Strang, and then Gavin Hamilton also provided valuable assistance until Mluleki Nkala came on and had him caught behind with his first ball.
At 110 for seven, Yorkshire still required 80, but the tail did not take its duties seriously enough and Lumb was powerless to prevent resistance crumbling at the other end.
Despite batting failures by both sides and huge slices of play being lost to the weather, it was still an excellent contest which both Mbangwa and Lumb will remember with some satisfaction.
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