One-Off Test
Day-1 Highlights:
Sean Williams unbeaten 145 runs has steered Zimbabwe to a commanding position at 363/4
At The Stumps of Day-1:
Zimbabwe scored 363/4 (1st Innings) vs Afghanistan.
Sean Williams’ fifth Test century, a half-century on debut by Ben Curran, and a fifty from Craig Ervine put Zimbabwe in a commanding position at the close of Day 1 in the first Test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo.
Ben, the second of the Curran brothers, set the pace with a quick-fire fifty before Williams brought up an unbeaten 145 off 161 balls.
His innings, which featured three partnerships over fifty runs, including an unbroken 143-run stand with Ervine, helped Zimbabwe reach 363/4 by the end of the day.
The hosts’ strong batting performance, which saw them score at nearly 4.3 runs per over, left Afghanistan struggling.
Zimbabwe, opting to bat, got off to a rapid start with the openers adding 43 runs in the first 10 overs.
Curran was the main contributor to the partnership before Naveed Zadran removed Joylord Gumbie for 9.
A 49-run stand between Curran and Takudzwanashe Kaitano followed, with Curran again taking charge, including four consecutive fours off Zahir Khan.
Just before lunch, however, Curran was dismissed for 68 off 74 balls by a carrom ball from Ghazanfar, leaving Zimbabwe at 92/2.
Kaitano played a patient knock, but it was Williams who kept the score ticking along, striking the first ball after lunch for a boundary and later pulling Ghazanfar for a six.
Kaitano also hit a six off Shahidi before falling for 46, ending a 78-run partnership.
Dion Myers joined Williams and both continued to score freely, with Williams reaching fifty off 58 balls.
Zimbabwe crossed the 200-mark before Tea, with 112 runs added in the second session, losing just one wicket.
After Tea, Williams quickly moved to 99, and with a four off Zahir, brought up his century.
The partnership between Williams and Ervine flourished, crossing 100 runs, and Ervine reached fifty shortly thereafter.
However, Afghanistan’s troubles mounted as Williams was controversially given out after attempting a reverse sweep off Zahir.
The ball appeared to have bounced before being caught, but the bowler had overstepped, and Williams was called back to the crease.
The second new ball offered no respite for Afghanistan as Zimbabwe’s fifth-wicket pair continued to push the total past 350.
To make matters worse, Naveed dropped a chance off Ervine’s bat, and bad light ended the day’s play with five overs still remaining.
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