Waller, Raza put Zim ahead

Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
Malcolm Waller and Sikander Raza Butt’s 127-run partnership for the fourth wicket on day two of the Zong presents Haier Cup Test match against Pakistan gave the hosts a 32-run lead with three wickets at hand as Zimbabwe were 281/7 at stumps.Pakistan were bundled out for 249 after Saeed Ajmal  (49) narrowly missed his maiden half century by one run as he departed on the second ball of the start of the day without adding anything to their overnight total.

Ajmal’s contribution with the bat was an innings saver but his undertaking as an off-spinner was at the forefront of Pakistan’s defence with four wickets for 77 runs which denied Zimbabwe of a much larger lead.

Zimbabwe had almost similar circumstances to that of Pakistan, losing three wickets for 68 runs.
The openers had a handful of swinging deliveries particularly Junaid Khan, who was making full use of the little life left on the pitch.

Khan was persistent against the openers’ resistance and was rewarded with Tinotenda Mawoyo’s wicket as the ball seamed a touch and hesitant Mawoyo was caught behind.

Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza continued with the resistance and looked set for a huge partnership but was undone by Khan and Ajmal with consecutive balls.

Khan was first to strike, getting Sibanda caught behind off his last ball then Masakadza was cleanly bowled by Ajmal with the very next ball.
The home side bounced back thanks to Waller and debutant Raza’s fourth wicket partnership worth 127 runs, which was central in Zimbabwe’s recovery from the unstable state they had found themselves in.

“We do a bit of video footage on these guys but I think with Saeed (Ajmal), it is really hard to pick it, I just tried to concentrate and watch the ball,” said Waller, giving an account of the daunting off-spinner’s variations.

There is so much resistance against Ajmal on a dry and slowly deteriorating track and the Pakistani trickster broke the partnership by removing Waller.

Waller had been quick in his approach, reaching his 50 runs off 63 balls and slowed down a bit and was eventually caught for 70.
Raza was instrumental in absorbing the Ajmal hostility with great effort, often rotating the strike in safety fashion but he too miscued a tossed delivery to first slip.

He scored a valuable 60 runs that included 10 fours from 118 balls. Wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbani had a run-a-ball 13 before he was trapped lbw by Ajmal.

Elton Chigumbura was aided by Prosper Utseya as they hoped to bat through to the end of the day, but Pakistan heaved a sigh of relief when Utseya was bowled out an over before close of play.

Chigumbura finished off the day unbeaten for 40 with the night watchman Shingirai Masakadza at the crease.
A huge lead will be required for Zimbabwe to outdo the decision of choosing to bowl first on a pitch they know will deteriorate with each day, albeit the threat of Ajmal and Abdur Rehman.
Scorecard:

Day1, Pakistan, first innings (overnight 249/9)
Day 2, Pakistan all out 249, Zimbabwe first innings (overnight 289/7)
Toss: Zimbabwe, chose to bowl

Pakistan 1st Innings
Khurram Manzoor    lbw    b Panyangara    11
Mohammad Hafeez    c Sibanda    b Chatara    5
Azhar Ali    c Sibanda    b S. 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 S. Masakadza     7
Saeed Ajmal        b Chatara     49
Junaid Khan    c Mutumbami    b Panyangara     17
Rahat Ali     not out         0
Extras (lb3, w1) 4
Total (90.1 overs) 249
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Hafeez), 2-21 (Manzoor), 3-27 (Younis), 4-120 (Misbah), 5-132 (Shafiq), 6-157 (Akmal), 7-173 (Rehman), 8-182 (Azhar), 9-249 (Junaid)
Bowling: Chatara 22.1-6-64-3, Panyangara 20-2-71-3, S. Masakadza 22-8-40-2, Chigumbura 2-0-15-0, Utseya 23-1-55-2, H. Masakadza 1-0-1-0
(1w)
Zimbabwe 1st Innings
T. Mawoyo    c Adnan Akmal    b Junaid Khan    13
V. Sibanda    c Adnan Akmal    b Junaid Khan    31
H. Masakadza        b Saeed Ajmal    19
Sikandar Raza    c Misbah    b Saeed Ajmal    60
MN Waller    c M Hafeez    b Saeed Ajmal    70
E Chigumbura    not out        40
R Mutumbami    lbw b Saeed Ajmal    13
P Utseya    b Rahat Ali        16
SW Masakadza    not out        2
Extras (b 5, lb 10, w 2) 17
Total (87 overs) 281
To bat T Panyangara, TL Chatara
Fall of wickets 1-25 (Mawoyo), 2-68 (Sibanda,), 3-68 (H Masakadza), 4-195 (Waller), 5-212 (Sikandar Raza), 6-235 (Mutumbami), 7-278 (Utseya)