ZIMBABWE decimated Afghanistan by 10 wickets inside two days to win the first Test of the two-match series in Abu Dhabi.
On a difficult pitch to bat on, Zimbabwe’s first-innings lead of 119 built on skipper Sean Williams’s third test hundred proved to be the difference.
Zimbabwe started the day with five wickets in hand trying to press home the advantage but lost the wicket of Ryan Burl after he has adjudged out LBW although the replays showed that the ball was too high and would have missed the stumps.
With no Decision Review System (DRS) being used by the broadcasters in the series, Burl had to walk.
Regis Chakabva who is the most capped player in the Zimbabwe squad started positively, counter attacking whatever the spinners threw at him.
With Williams the set batsman being circumspect, Chakabva kept the scoreboard ticking sweeping the spinners and hit the only six of their innings.
The partnership between Williams and Chakabva of 75 runs was the highest of the match.
Just when Zimbabwe were threatening to build a massive first-innings lead, Chakabva was dismissed on 44, a few minutes before lunch and Donald Tiripano did not last long as he was also dismissed by Zahir Khan.
With wickets tumbling around him, the captain Williams, moved into the 90’s and only had Muzarabani and Nyauchi to follow for company.
He went to lunch unbeaten on 97 and none was denying him his third test century and second as captain when play resumed after the break.
He didn’t last long after getting to his hundred as he tried to accelerate the run rate and increase Zimbabwe’s lead, he became Hamza’s fifth wicket of the innings.
With Williams departure for 105, the Zimbabwe innings did not last long but they had gained a crucial 119 first-innings lead.
The host having selected only one frontline seamer on a wicket that was expected to assist the spinners, the Zimbabwe seamers took 16 wickets as they managed to swing the ball and extract bounce that was available.
In the second innings, it was Nyauchi who got the outside edge of Abdul Malik and was caught by Chakabva to record a pair on his Test debut.
Munir Ahmed did not trouble the scorers with head falling over and failing to connect the ball with the bat and was hit on the pads by Muzarabani, was given out LBW.
Such was the dominance of the visitors, five of the host’s batsmen were dismissed for ducks and three more for single figures.
Afghanistan went to tea at 49 for 6 with the possibility of being bowled out for less than 100 and innings defeat inside two days.
But a rear-guard action by the 19- year- old opener Ibrahim Zadran spared Afghanistan the embarrassment as he added 34 runs for the 7th wicket with Abdul Wasi to take their score closer to the 100 run mark which was just merely academic but couldn’t alter the course of the match.
Zadran got to his second test 50 from 87 balls showing his teammates that with the right application, one could score runs on that pitch.
The Chevrons started getting frustrated by the 8th wicket partnership between Zadran and Amir Hamza which was worth 48 runs.
Donald Tiripano got the much needed breakthrough for Zimbabwe when Zadran chased a wide delivery and was caught behind by Chakabva for a well-played knock of 76 runs.
One wicket brought another one, Yamin Ahmadzai was brilliantly caught at second slip by Williams for a first ball duck and suddenly Tiripano was on a hattrick.
The end was near for the Asian side when Zahir Khan was caught mid-on by Nyauchi off Tiripano for a duck to leave Zimbabwe needing 17 runs for victory.
Zimbabwe’s openers made light work of the paltry total achieving the victory target in four overs.
Speaking in the post-match presentation ceremony, Williams was chuffed by how his seamers had performed.
“It was a fantastic team performance. I was really happy with my seam bowlers. It was a difficult wicket to bat on but these challenges come in test cricket. If we take them head-on we will succeed,” said the Zimbabwe captain.
The captain was happy with how the senior players led from the front.
“In this game, the senior players came to the party, which is what I want. The younger players will learn from it.
“In my partnership with Raza, he took the role of aggressor and I had to deal a little bit more with spin than him. I am just happy to see the senior players stand-up” he added.
