daniel chigunwe
Brandon Moyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
BLESSING Muzarabani further ascertained his status as one of Zimbabwe’s finest bowlers as he picked up seven wickets on day one of the Chevrons’ one-off Test match against Ireland at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
The lanky fast bowler finished with career best figures of seven for 58 runs as he helped Zimbabwe bundle out Ireland for 260 runs in 56.4 overs.
The visitors had won the toss and elected to bat first, and at stumps, the hosts were on 72/1, trailing by 189 runs.
Muzarabani wrote his name in stone in the annals of Zimbabwean cricket history, becoming the first Zimbabwean fast bowler to pick up a seven-wicket haul in a Test innings.
He also became the third Zimbabwean after Paul Strang and Sikandar Raza to pick up seven wickets in a red-ball innings.
His seven for 58 runs is now the second-best bowling figure for Zimbabwe in Tests, only behind Strang’s eight for 109 runs against Sri Lanka at Queens Sports Club in 2000.
Raza picked up seven for 113 runs against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in 2020.
Not only was yesterday a special day for Muzarabani only, but for three more players who were given their Test debuts.
Johnathan Campbell, Nick Welch, and Nyasha Mayavo made their maiden appearances in whites for Zimbabwe yesterday.
The moment was made more special for Campbell after the debutant was named captain in place of Craig Ervine, who had to return to Harare to attend a family emergency.
Campbell became only the second captain to lead his team on Test debut this century (other than captains in a team’s inaugural Test).
He followed his father, Alistair Campbell, and they became the fourth father-son duo to captain in Test cricket.
Speaking at stumps, Muzarabani said he was pleased to have achieved such a milestone.
“It feels good, but I was not really thinking about it that much,” he said.
“I was just thinking about us trying to get those 10 wickets.
“However, I am happy that we got those 10 wickets.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it too much, but it is a great achievement.
“It feels really good,” said Muzarabani.
He added that as a team, they are happy for Campbell’s achievements.
“He (Campbell) has been around the team for a long time, so we understand him, and he understands us.
“It wasn’t like a debut because we play together in different teams. It was not something new, and I was really happy that he got his things right.
“It was nice for him and for us,” he said.
Playing on a wicket with some grass cover, Zimbabwe’s seamers made full use of the conditions in the morning, with Muzarabani striking as early as the first over, getting PJ Moor caught for four runs.
In the fourth over, Richard Ngarava bowled Curtis Campher with a plumb delivery, leaving the visitors on 17/2.
Muzarabani would get his second in the fifth over, getting the Irish skipper Andy Balbirnie caught for nine runs off 10 deliveries.
Harry Tector was the next to fall, caught at slip by Takudzwanashe Kaitano off a Muzarabani delivery for a nine-ball duck.
Muzarabani’s fourth wicket was Paul Stirling, who was caught for 10 runs.
Muzarabani would go on to strike again, getting Barry McCarthy for a six-ball duck, his sixth wicket of the innings.
This left Ireland on 211 runs for eight.
The lanky fast bowler struck again after tea, his seventh wicket.
He had Craig Young caught for five runs, and it was Ngarava who wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Matthew Humphreys for eight runs.
Andy McBrine was left stranded on the other end with a career best 90 runs not out from 132 deliveries.
Ngarava finished with figures of two for 65 runs in 13.4 overs, while Muzarabani bowled 18 overs.
Trevor Gwandu picked up the other wicket that fell.
Ben Curran and Takudzwanashe Kaitano opened the batting for Zimbabwe.
Curran was the first to fall on 12 runs from 14 balls off a McCarthy delivery, bringing Welch into the middle.
At stumps, Welch was on 33 runs off 51 balls while Kaitano was on 26 runs from 61 balls.
Play resumes at 10am today.
Online Reporter