VETERAN Brendan Taylor continued to hold Zimbabwe’s innings together yesterday after scoring a fifty in the second Test against Afghanistan but the Chevrons failed to build strongly on their first innings lead after losing a couple of wickets.
Taylor was the only batsman to convert his scores after he was dismissed for exactly 50 runs as the Chevrons ended day three on 169/7.
However, Zimbabwe kept the upper hand on an 11-wicket day despite losing five wickets in the final session. They slipped from 83 for 2 to 169 for 7 and had four batters failing to convert starts.
But their first-innings lead of 122, which has swelled to 291, is strong, considering Afghanistan were all out for 217.
Top-scorer Afsar Zazai made 30 of the 48 runs Afghanistan added to their overnight score of 159 for 6. Graeme Cremer ended the 41-run stand between Zazai and Naseer Khan Maroofkhil. The final three wickets then fell for 22 a few minutes before lunch.
In the second innings, Zimbabwe’s openers were undone by skill with the ball and in the field. Wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil took a catch that was heading to first slip to get Ben Curran (19) first. Innocent Kaia (33) got an inducker from Ziaur Rahman that kept a touch low and trapped him lbw.
Then, Taylor anchored the innings with a fifty as Zimbabwe did well in the afternoon but couldn’t go big in the evening.
Maroofkhil started the collapse on 126 for 2 with Brian Bennett’s (28) wicket. He got one to skid through from a good length and fetched the outside edge. Taylor’s wicket came with a slice of luck as he steered a short and wide ball to gully.
Yamin Ahmadzai dismissed Wessly Madhevere (3) and Taylor in a tight spell before Mohammad Saleem ended Antum Naqvi’s counter attacking 18-ball 20.
Close to stumps, Ziaur nicked Brad Evans off. Still, it’s advantage Zimbabwe going into the fourth day.
