Zimbabwe lead by 32 at stumps

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Cricket365
September 4, 2013

Zimbabwe reached stumps on day two of the first Test against Pakistan on 281 for seven, holding a lead of 32 runs in Harare after a solid day of all-round batting performances by the middle order.

Half centuries from Malcolm Waller and debutant Shikandar Raza, who made a century stand together, was the backbone of the day-long innings, and Elton Chigumbura was unbeaten on 40 at the close.

Pakistan failed to add to their overnight score, instead falling to 249 all out a mere two deliveries into the day. Tail-ender Saeed Ajmal, bowled by seamer Tendai Chatara, fell a single short of a rare half-century.

Home opening partners Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo battled hard for eight overs of the new ball, but Junaid Khan's swing was too much for Mawoyo and he fell for 13, edging behind to Adnan Akmal.

This left Sibanda and match skipper Hamilton Masakadza to see out the rest of the morning session. Masakadza, leading the side in the absence of new father Brendan Taylor, took 16 balls to get off the mark, and was on 19 at the lunch break.

The partnership was not to last long into the afternoon though, as Sibanda and Hamilton departed within two balls of each other. Sibanda, having made 31 off 85 balls, was caught behind off Junaid, before Ajmal bowled Masakadza with the first ball of the next over.

This left Waller and Raza to rescue the knock, and they took the hosts from 68 for three to 195 before the next wicket fell. Waller was by far the more aggressive player, hitting 14 fours in his 70 runs, off 100 balls.

He was the first of the two to depart, caught by Mohammad Hafeez off Ajmal, before Raza fell 17 runs later, also to the spinner. Raza, a former Pakistani, had made 60 off 118 balls, including 10 boundaries.

Wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami and Prosper Utseya each added runs in the teens, in conjunction with Chigumbura, who enjoyed the pace provided by the new ball in the evening session.

Utseya was bowled by Rahat Ali just before the close, leaving Chigumbura on 40 at stumps, with Shingi Masakadza alongside him.