On the second day of the second and final Test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo on Friday, Zimbabwe scored 243 runs in the first innings with captain Craig Irvine top scorer with 75 runs.
The tourists took to the field again, 46-3, but play was stopped due to bad light just before the scheduled end, leaving them trailing by 40 points at Queen’s Sports Club in the southern city.
Irvine was ably supported by fellow veterans Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams as the home team rallied from a 41-4 deficit to build an 86-point lead in the first inning.
The 39-year-old skipper forged a partnership of 71 for five wickets with Raza and 73 for eight wickets with Williams as Zimbabwe sought their first Test win since defeating Afghanistan three years ago.
Irvine hit two sixes and four fours, Raza six fours and Williams hit eight fours, not getting out but falling short of another five centuries.
Williams, who was batting ninth lower than usual due to a back injury, left the game without hesitation, believing he had scored an RBI from the speedy Rashid Khan.
Raza, who attempted a paddle sweep from Zia-ur-Rehman, missed and the ball hit the stumps. Irvine, who fell last, was caught with a sweep at deep backward square leg by Riaz Hassan.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who took the wickets of Williams and Irvine, became Afghanistan’s most successful bowler with 4 wins and 94 losses.
Opener Blessing Muzarabani did the damage for Afghanistan early in the second innings, sending openers Abdul Malik and Hassan to the pavilion with just 18 points.
Then, in a big blow to the away team, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was bowled by an unplayable Raza delivery, hitting it over middle before hitting it.
On the second day, it was announced that Ireland will be playing an all-format tour in Zimbabwe from February 6th to 25th. The Test in Bulawayo will be followed by six white-ball matches in Harare.
easy score
Afghanistan were 157 in 44.3 overs, 46-3 in 15 overs, against Zimbabwe 243 in 73.3 overs. Playback stopped due to bad light
Toss: Zimbabwe
str/bsp
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