RISING Zimbabwe bowling star Newman Nyamhuri yesterday completed a maiden Test cricket five-wicket haul in the ongoing red-ball match against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Ground in UAE.
Nyamhuri helped rein in the opponents and keep the match evenly contested, as defiant Afghanistan posted 514 runs to overturn Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 504 on day four of the first Test.
The 20-year-old finished with figures of 5-82 after bowling 30.4 overs, in his sixth Test match for Zimbabwe.
On the batting side, veteran Brendan Taylor was again in the thick of things with a 13th Test half century to get Zimbabwe back in the fight, although the match now looks highly headed for a draw barring something spectacular happens on the last day.
By stumps on Day four, Zimbabwe were back in control as Taylor had scored a breezy 82 before he was dismissed, after Afghanistan had posted 514 to overturn Zimbabwe’s first innings score of 504.
However, captain Brian Bennett was unbeaten on 49, joined by Craig Ervine on the crease as Zimbabwe ended the day on 164/3 in their second innings.
The fourth day’s play in Sharjah panned out pretty similarly to the third as Afghanistan dominated the first session before Zimbabwe came back into the contest across the afternoon and evening sessions.
It started with Shah bringing up his century with a slash behind point off Newman Nyamhuri in the second over.
The scoring rate, however, remained sluggish through the morning session as Shah and Zia frustrated the opposition bowlers to stretch their overnight stand into the afternoon session.
On a pitch which remained unresponsive, Zimbabwe’s only hope was the new ball, which arrived before drinks in the afternoon session.
The introduction of Muzarabani with the new ball reaped rewards as he had Zia caught behind with a back-of-the-length ball. Encouraged by the breakthrough Bennett brough Nyamhuri into the attack from the other end.
Muzarabani continued to create chances as he induced Shah into a slash which was shelled at point by Craig Ervine and a leading edge off Mohammad Saleem landed just before the fielder at the first slip.
However, the crucial wicket of the Afghanistan captain arrived right after drinks as Shah misjudged a flighted delivery from Cremer to be stumped.
Moments later Nyamhuri led his team off the field after hitting the top of Mohammad Saleem’s middle stump – a dismissal that brought him his maiden five-wicket haul.
After his heroics with the bat now it was time for Zia to make an impact with the ball.
He sent Innocent Kaia back in just the fourth over with an arm ball that trapped him lbw. He then had Ben Curran caught at mid-on after tea, leaving Zimbabwe at 38 for 2.
Taylor then took charge of the innings as he swept and thumped anything in his slot down the ground. Even those which weren’t in his hitting arc were sent sailing over the fence, including the one which brought his half-century when he stepped out of the crease to caress Qais over his head for six.
Taylor looked set to reach his second century of the match but a bizarre mix-up with his captain brought an end to an 82-run partnership after Bennett sent Taylor back to the striker’s end from almost halfway down the pitch.
Bennett went on to push Zimbabwe’s advantage with an unbroken 44-run stand with Ervine, who was not out on 20. Zimbabwe scored at more than four an over in an extended last session.
They will be eager to continue the momentum when they resume on day five so they could post something substantial with enough time to take 10 Afghanistan wickets.
But the prospect of that many wickets falling in a day seems unlikely because of the flat and unresponsive nature of the Sharjah pitch. — Zimpapers Sports Hub/Cricinfo.
