mbulelo smpofu
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
A RASHID Khan spectacular show had Zimbabwe under pressure on day four of the inaugural New Year’s Day Test match yesterday, with Afghanistan closing in on a famous victory at Queens Sports Club.
Zimbabwe will have no one else to blame but themselves for squandering a golden opportunity to win their first Test match in four years, their last red-ball victory having come in 2021.
The Chevrons had no answers for Khan’s mystery spin, with the right-arm bowler taking six wickets and putting his side on the verge of victory.
Zimbabwe suffered yet another monumental collapse, losing three wickets in seven balls, a period which proved to be the turning point in the game.
At stumps, it was Zimbabwe’s captain, Craig Ervine, showing some resistance to the Afghanistan spinners, led by Khan.
Ervine finished the day on a determined 53 runs from 97 balls, with Richard Ngarava holding firm at the other end on three runs from 17 deliveries.
The Chevrons ended the penultimate day on 205/8, needing 73 runs to win, while Afghanistan requires just two wickets. Speaking after the close of play, Ervine said they would need to strategise for the final day.
“Tonight we will try to strategise. I’m obviously going to have to keep the strike for as long as possible and try to do most of the work.
“Everyone has seen that Rashid is the danger man. Tomorrow, with the light being better, I’m sure they’ll go with spin from both ends. We’ll keep trying to score quickly and keep it going,” said Ervine.
The day began with the visitors batting on 291/7, leading by 206 runs, with debutant Ismat Alam and Khan at the crease.
Blessing Muzarabani made the breakthrough for the Chevrons in the 98th over, dismissing Khan, caught behind for 23 runs. At that stage, the visitors were on 318/8, enjoying a lead of 232 runs.
That wicket was Muzarabani’s fifth of the innings, marking his first five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket.
Alam would go on to convert his half-century into a century, reaching the milestone off 173 balls.
He was eventually dismissed by Muzarabani for 101 runs off 181 deliveries, before Richard Ngarava claimed the final wicket to fall.
Muzarabani finished with career-best figures of 6/95 from 29 overs. The visitors were bowled out for 363 runs, setting Zimbabwe a target of 278 runs to win the New Year’s Day Test.
It was a tall order for the Chevrons, whose highest successful run chase in Test cricket is 162 runs, achieved against Pakistan in 1998.
The Chevrons’ openers managed a 43-run stand for the first wicket before Joylord Gumbie was caught attempting a reverse sweep, departing for 15 runs off 45 balls. Zimbabwe added another 20 runs to the total before Ben Curran was bowled by Khan for 38 runs.
Takudzwanashe Kaitano was Khan’s next victim, caught for 21 runs off 56 balls. Dion Myers’s poor run of form continued, as he was trapped in front for just six runs by Khan again.
There was some resistance from Ervine and Sikandar Raza, who put together a 58-run partnership for the fifth wicket, before Raza was caught for 38 runs off 83 balls.
It was in the 59th over that things took a turn for the hosts, with Khan striking twice in three balls. He bowled Sean Williams for 16 runs off 25 balls, and two balls later, bowled Brian Bennett for a two-ball duck.
In the next over, Newman Nyamhuri was trapped in front for a two-ball duck by Zia-ur-Rehman, leaving Zimbabwe reeling at 178/8, needing 100 runs to win.
Ervine went on to reach his half-century while batting with Ngarava, who finished the day on three runs from 17 balls. Ervine ended the day on 53 runs from 97 balls. Play will resume at 09:30AM. — @brandon_malvin
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
