http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045: Only Test – Comprehensive Analysis – Part-2
Zimbabwe surprised Pakistan with a solid performance on day one of the only Test match played between two teams at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo in Zimbabwe on Thursday, September 1, 2011.
The hosts ended the day at 245 for the loss of 4 wickets. Opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Craig-Richard-Ervine-c51733, who was unbeaten on 38.
The pair batted really well and did not allow the opposition to dominate the game. They put together 94 runs for the fifth wicket partnership. Ervine missed out on a half-century by just one run. He got out after contributing 49 runs to the total with the help of eight boundaries.
The left-handed batsman got out to a short delivery, which got big on him. The ball took off from the pitch and Ervine failed to keep it down. He was trying to angle it down towards the on-side, but only managed to hit the shoulder of the bat.
The ball popped up in the air and went straight into the hands of the bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037, who got his first wicket in Test match cricket. The youngster had to work hard for his first scalp, but was relieved after finally managing it.
Zimbabwe were now five down with 270 runs on the board. The team was in a very decent position, but needed a valiant effort from their lower-order in order to convert the start into a massive first innings total.
The pressure was right on debutant http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GA-Lamb-c1450, who now walked out in the middle to join Mawoyo. The pair did not take many risks and kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos.
Lamb did have some nervous moments at the start of his innings, but found things easier once he got his eye set. He would have liked to make a solid impression in his first Test outing, but was dismissed after collecting 39 runs with the help of four boundaries.
The debutant all-rounder was puzzled by off-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859, who finally broke the 95-run stand between Lamb and Mawoyo.
Ajmal had delivered a couple of doosras at the batsman and then brought one back in sharply, which caught Lamb plumb in front of the stumps.
The hosts were now 365 for the loss of six wickets and the tail was exposed to the Pakistani bowlers.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Ali-c46890 placed at short-leg.
Price managed just 6 runs and became the first victim of Cheema in Test cricket. He was followed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Younis-Khan-c98325 after adding 14 runs to the total.
Vitori looked to play aggressively and collected 14 runs in his short stay at the crease. He was the second victim of Cheema, who was bowling well against the tail.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CB-Mpofu-c1219 were cleaned up by Cheema, who ended up with 4 wickets in the innings. He got terrific support from Ajmal, who also dismissed 4 batsmen in the innings.
However, the star of the show in the first innings was Mawoyo, who carried his bat with an unbeaten 163 runs off 453 balls. The solid opening player struck 20 boundaries in his valiant knock, guiding Zimbabwe to 412.
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