adminPaul Munyuki Sports Reporter
DEBUTANTE spinner John Nyumbu took two wickets but South Africa were on the front foot after a cautious approach saw them whittle Zimbabwe’s lead to 55 runs, with six wickets in hand, on day two of the one-off Test at Harare Sports Club.Faf du Plesis was unbeaten on 69 and Quinton de Cock (27 from 48) were occupying the crease.
Zimbabwe had resumed the day on 248-9, and four overs into the day, they were done after a first innings total of 256 after adding just eight more runs.
Dale Steyn finished with his five-for after having Nyumbu caught behind but the Zimbabwean spinner had his say with figures of 2-71, off 24 overs, after accounting for Alviro Petersen (32) and AB de Villiers (7).
“It was not a bad pitch to make a debut on, very fortunate to have played on a wicket like that. To be honest I was not worried about what South Africa were doing as I was focusing on my play,” said Nyumbu.
“We just kept it tight, go basic and have to get two or three wickets early tomorrow and we will be happy. We plan by the situation and as bowlers we have to adapt to the situation and change our plan. The wicket is keeping low, it will get a bit difficult, the seamers are not getting any swing and the deck is holding up so it can only get difficult,” said Nyumbu.
Nyumbu dismissed Petersen with wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami completing a spectacular catch.
Going into the lunch break, South Africa were sitting pretty on 62-1.
There was a debut Test wicket, too, for right arm medium bowler Donald Tiripano when he got the scalp of Dean Elgar (61) while Tendai Chatara got the big wicket of skipper Hashim Amla for four.
Scorecard:
Zimbabwe 1St Innings
Sibanda c Petersen b Steyn 0
Masakadza b Piedt 45
Vermeulen lbw b Piedt 14
Taylor* c Duminy b Piedt 93
Chakabva c Amla b Piedt 0
Williams c †de Kock b Steyn 24
Mutumbami†lbw b Steyn 21
Panyangara c †de Kock b Philander 12
Tiripano not out 15
Chatara c †de Kock b Steyn 22
Nyumbu c †de Kock b Steyn 2
Extras (lb 4, w 2, nb 2) 8 Total (all out; 92.4 overs) 256
F-o-W: 1-0 (Sibanda, 2.1 ov), 2-33 (Vermeulen, 15.1 ov), 3-90 (Masakadza, 32.2 ov), 4-90 (Chakabva, 32.4 ov), 5-120 (Williams, 40.5 ov), 6-179 (Mutumbami, 62.6 ov), 7-204 (Panyangara, 67.1 ov), 8-220 (Taylor, 76.1 ov), 9-246 (Chatara, 82.4 ov), 10-256 (Nyumbu, 92.4 ov)
Bowling: Steyn 22.4-11-46-5; Philander 18-5-51-1(2nb); Morkel 19-3-39-0 (2w); Piedt 24-1-90-4; Duminy 9-0-26-0.
South Africa 1st innings
Elgar c †Mutumbami b Tiripano 61
Petersen c †Mutumbami b Nyumbu 32
du Plessis not out 69
Amla b Chatara, c Sibanda 4
De Villiers c Sibanda b Nyumbu 7
De Cock not out 27
Extras (nb 1) 1
Total (at stumps) 201
F-o-W: 1-57 (Petersen, 22.2ov), 2-132 (Elgar, 47.4ov), 3-146 (Amla, 57.5ov), 4-157 (de Villers 68.4ov).
To bat: Duminy, Philander, Steyn, Morkel, Piedt.
Bowling: Panyangara 16-7-18-0; Tiripano 15-4-32-1; Nyumbu 24-4-7-12; Chatara15-9-17-1; Williams 14-1-53-0
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