ZIMBABWE took the honours on the first day of the first Test after skittling Afghanistan out for 131 runs and then taking a two-run lead going into day two this morning.
Blessing Muzarabani’s career best figures of 4 for 48 and Sean Williams unbeaten 54 made sure that the day belonged to Zimbabwe.
After winning the toss and electing to bat on a green top, Afghanistan were in trouble as early as the first ball of the Test when Muzarabani got one to sneak through the defences of Abdul Malik for a golden duck.
Rahmat Shah only lasted 6 balls and was undone by the bounce that Muzarabani was extracting from the track, nicking one behind for a regulation catch for Regis Chakabva.
Zimbabwe continued to press home the advantage by piling pressure from both ends and this time it was the turn of Victor Nyauchi to get on the wickets column after a good catch by Sikandar Raza accounted for Munir Ahmad for 12.
After 10 overs Afghanistan were reeling at 37 for 3.
Ibrahim Zadran who was looking good for 31 tried to go for a booming cover drive but could only manage to find Tarisai Musakanda at gully off the bowling of Nyauchi.
The Zimbabwe seamers were not done yet, Nyauchi produced the ball of the morning bowling an inswinging yorker that shattered Hashmatullah’s middle stump.
At lunch, Afghanistan were teetering at 85 for 5.
After lunch, the Chevrons continued from where they had left off with Muzarabani getting the big wicket of the host’s captain, Asghar Afghan who went fishing outside the off-stump but only managed an outside edge to Chakabva behind the wicket.
Zimbabwe were unrelenting in the attack, they didn’t allow the Asian side’s tail to wag, Williams giving the ball to Muzarabani to finish off what he started and he duly obliged by getting the final wicket as Afghanistan were bundled all out for 131.
In reply the visitors were slow to get off the blocks, Kevin Kasuza bowled in the first for a duck by one that got to jag back by Yamin Ahmadzai.
Musakanda in his second Test match didn’t last long, he played for a turn but was bowled through the gate by the arm ball of left-arm spinner Amir Hamza and had to walk back to the pavilion for 7.
Masvaure didn’t learn from Musakanda’s demise and he became Hamza’s second victim, playing for a turn to a straighter ball and was hit on the back leg to be given out leg before wicket for 15 runs.
It was the turn for the debutant, Wesley Madhevere but he only faced one ball, given out plumb lbw and Hamza was on a hattrick. Raza survived the hattrick ball by hitting it for four.
At 38 for 4 Zimbabwe needed a partnership badly, the senior statesmen, Raza and skipper Williams started the fightback playing assuredly in defence and taking singles.
They absorbed all the pressure, were positive in defence and put away the bad balls in a partnership of 71 for the fifth wicket.
Just as Zimbabwe were chipping away at their opponents’ first-innings total and looking comfortable, a rush of blood by Raza brought Afghanistan back into the match. Raza tried to take on Hamza with just 20 minutes before the close of play remaining but could only manage a top edge which was gleefully accepted by Malik at deep point to leave the match delicately poised.
On the other end, Williams continued playing a captain’s knock by not giving anything away, getting to his fourth test fifty just before the close of play.
With so much turn and the odd ball staying low, the Chevrons will look to get big first-innings lead as the pitch will only get worse as the match progresses. They don’t want to be chasing a lot in the fourth innings of the match.
Afghanistan wants nothing but wickets tomorrow morning to get themselves back into the match especially that of Williams who is a good player of spin.
Zimbabwe have a long batting line up and will want a score over 300, wicketkeeper-batsman, Chakabva who has a Test century in Asia batting at 8 and Donald Tiripano at 9 will be stretching that lead.
