adminJeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
AN outstanding all-round performance from Zimbabwe’s bowlers gave the home side the edge on an eventful opening day of the first Test at Harare Sports Club yesterday and, had the Pakistan tail not wagged, it could have been even better for the hosts.
At stumps Pakistan were staggering at 249/9 with Saeed Ajmal providing the unlikely heroics, unbeaten on 49, although Zimbabwe will feel they imposed themselves better on day one.
Zimbabwe’s decision to bowl first, after winning the toss, gave them the initial advantage as the pitch had a little life in the morning session, which was utilised by the seamers in a highly productive session.
“It was generally a good day for us, they would have given us 250/9 on any day but obviously that ninth wicket partnership might have gone one for a little bit longer than we wanted — apart from that I think the boys did very well,” said stand-in skipper Hamilton Masakadza.
Brendan Taylor, the regular skipper, was unavailable as he had to be with his family after his wife Kelly gave birth to their first son Mason.
“Kelly and I are so proud to announce the arrival of son Mason. After 17 hours at hospital he decided to visit. Thanks so much for those of you have already sent such kind words! Much love,” Taylor posted on Facebook.
Taylor’s unavailability gave a chance for Sikander Raza Butt to make his Test debut and he will be expected to be one of the central masts when Zimbabwe bat today hoping to impose themselves on this game.
No one would have imagined that Pakistan would be three down with 74 runs on the board by lunch or three down with just 27 runs on the board in the first hour.
But that’s exactly what happened.
Tinashe Panyangara spoiled the tourists’ morning and gave Zimbabwe a fighting chance after trapping Khurum Manzoor then bowling Younis Khan in his next over.
Prior to Panyangara’s raid, Tendai Chatara had Mohammad Hafeez caught in the seventh over.
“We had a plan that we would get through the lunch period but unfortunately they took early wickets which didn’t help but we had to make sure we rebuild our innings,” said Azhar Ali who top-scored for Pakistan with 78.
“I had a good partnership with the skipper, so we had a little hope, we could have done better but we lost two quick wickets are the skipper got out.”
Ali and captain Misbah-ul-Haq led a recovery, putting on an unbeaten 47 for the fourth wicket, to take Pakistan to lunch feeling bruised but certainly comfortable.
After lunch, Prosper Utseya increased the gravity of Pakistan’s predicament breaking the Ali-Misbah partnership with Vusi Sibanda taking a blinder of a catch at short midwicket.
The Pakistan captain went for 53 runs off 94 balls and would be disappointed that he perished playing a one-day short when his team needed his cool head.
Utseya bowled a similar tossed delivery which had Asad Shafiq caught at backward short leg.
Pakistan was dealt a further huge blow as they lost three wickets for 26 runs between the tea and last drinks break of the day.
Sibanda’s safe pair of hands saw him taking his third catch at second slip off the bowling of Shingirai Masakadza to remove Pakistan’s top-scorer Azhar Ali (78 from 185 balls).
The regular loss of wickets at the top put Pakistan under pressure as it left them reeling and, at one stage, there were fears they could not even make 200.
However, a spirited tale helped them find a way past that mark with Ajmal and Junaid Khan repairing the damage with a good stand for the ninth wicket.
Panyangara finally found a way past them with he had Khan caught behind, with the last ball of the day, and one can feel that this tie is delicately balanced.
Scorecard
Pakistan 249/9 (89.5 overs) v Zimbabwe
Harare Sports Club
Toss: Zimbabwe, elected to bowl
Pakistan 1st Innings
Khurram Manzoor lbw b Panyangara 11
Mohammad Hafeez c Sibanda b Chatara 5
Azhar Ali c Sibanda b SW Masakadza 78
Younis Khan b Panyangara 3
Misbah-ul-Haq* c Sibanda b Utseya 53
Asad Shafiq c Mawoyo b Utseya 4
Adnan Akmal b Chatara 18
Abdur Rehman lbw b SW Masakadza 7
Saeed Ajmal not out 49
J Khan c Mutumbami b Panyangara 17
Extras (lb 3, w 1) 4
Total (9 wickets; 89.5 overs) 249
To bat Rahat Ali
Fall of wickets 1-13 (Mohammad Hafeez, 6.3 ov), 2-21 (Khurram Manzoor, 11.5 ov), 3-27 (Younis Khan, 13.6 ov), 4-120 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 46.2 ov), 5-132 (Asad Shafiq, 50.2 ov), 6-157 (Adnan Akmal, 59.4 ov), 7-173 (Abdur Rehman, 67.6 ov), 8-182 (Azhar Ali, 71.3 ov), 9-249 (Junaid Khan, 89.5 ov)
Bowlers: TL Chatara 22-6-64-2, T Panyangara 19.5-2-71-3, SW Masakadza 22-8-40-2, E Chigumbura 2-0-15-0, P Utseya 23-1-55-2, H Masakadza 1-0-1-0
Zimbabwe team
V Sibanda, TMK Mawoyo, H Masakadza*, Sikandar Raza, MN Waller, R Mutumbami†, E Chigumbura, P Utseya, SW Masakadza, T Panyangara, TL Chatara
Online Reporter