shloboe boe
Brandon Moyo, brandonmalvin9@gmail.com
ZIMBABWE secured a valuable 86-run first-innings lead on day two of the New Year’s Day Test against Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club, but the hosts couldn’t help but ponder what might have been had talismanic all-rounder Sean Williams been fully fit. Williams, visibly hampered by injury throughout his innings, made a crucial contribution, but his discomfort undoubtedly impacted Zimbabwe’s ability to fully capitalise on a strong start. The team undoubtedly believes that a fully fit Williams could have significantly bolstered their first-innings total, potentially shifting the momentum of the match even further in their favour.
Williams has been nursing back pain since the opening day of the Test match and was forced to come in and bat at number nine. He scored a well-batted 49 runs off 52 balls before he was caught behind by Afghanistan wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai. Williams, however, was not given out by the umpires but decided to walk. The 38-year-old’s injury turned out to be a bad omen for the Chevrons, who could not take maximum advantage of Afghanistan’s batting woes. Zimbabwe had bundled out Afghanistan for just 157 runs but could not capitalise on their upper hand.
Williams’ injury on the first day turned out to be a sign of the batting struggles that would soon follow as they failed to take maximum advantage of their bowlers’ exploits. It was Williams, Sikandar Raza (61), and Craig Ervine (75) who had to save the day, with the other two scoring all-important half-centuries after the top-order batters failed to come to the party.
Speaking after the day’s play, head coach Justin Sammons said Williams’ knock was the difference maker between them getting a lead going into the second innings.
“The impetus shifted when Sean came to the crease. Actually, Newman, when he came to the crease you could see the change in Craig, in the way he went about his business. When Sean came in, that partnership was key, and ultimately is the key and difference to us having a lead or not. And, Craig being able to come through and go through various stages of the game and to take the responsibility. It was good to see,” said Sammons.
He said he was pleased with the character shown by Williams while he was playing in pain.
“Our medical team did a lot of work in trying to get him to the park today. We are going to have to continue doing that but it’s going to be tough because he is in a lot of pain. He showed his courage to go out there, he showed what he’s about and what it means to him to play for Zimbabwe. We can’t look too far ahead, we will take it step by step with him to try and get him into the best physical state,” he said.
The Chevrons were in all sorts of trouble on 41/4 and the three seniors managed to help Zimbabwe reach a decent lead. Raza came in to bat at number four — in place of Williams who was struggling with back pain — and made the most of his return to red-ball cricket. The all-rounder, playing his first Test match since 2021, scored his ninth half-century in the format. Raza was bowled by Zia-ur-Rehman for 61 runs off 104 deliveries, putting an end to his 71-run fifth-wicket partnership with the skipper Ervine. Williams, coming in to bat at number nine, scored a gallant 49 runs off 52 balls as he looked unsettled in the middle due to back pain. After Williams fell, he received applause from the Afghanistan players.
Williams enjoyed a 73-run stand with the skipper, Ervine, who earlier had brought up his sixth Test half-century off 122 balls. The skipper, accelerating the innings, was the last to fall as he was caught on the boundary for a brilliantly batted 75 runs off 165 balls. Day-two resumed with Zimbabwe batting on 6/0, trailing by 151 runs. The Chevrons quickly started losing wickets with the first to fall on the day being Joylord Gumbie, caught behind for eight runs in the eighth over, leaving the team on 19/1.
In the next over, Takudzwanashe Kaitano was caught behind for a two-ball duck, a wicket which brought Raza into the middle. The third wicket was that of opener Ben Curran, who was trapped in front for 15 runs off 34 balls. At that point, Zimbabwe were on 36/3, trailing by 121 runs. After hitting one boundary, Dion Myers fell, caught behind for five runs from nine balls, leaving Zimbabwe trailing by 116 runs on the verge of a batting collapse.
However, Raza and Ervine managed to play gritty innings, bringing Zimbabwe back into the game with a brilliant partnership. Raza was bowled in the 38th over, leaving the team on 112/5, trailing by 45 runs. The wicket brought Brian Bennett into the middle and the youngster only added two runs to the board off 22 balls before he was caught. Newman Nyamhuri walked in to join Ervine in the middle and the teenage star managed to add 11 runs on the board before he was bowled by Rashid Khan with Zimbabwe now trailing by just 10 runs.
Williams limped in to bat at the time and by the time he walked off, Zimbabwe’s lead was now 63 runs.
After a short rain delay, Richard Ngarava joined the skipper in the middle. Ngarava was bowled by Yamin Ahmadzai for one run in the 71st over with Zimbabwe now leading by 68 runs. Ervine and Blessing Muzarabani managed to have a 14-run stand for the 10th wicket before the veteran captain fell. Rashid Khan finished with figures of 4/94 in 27,3 overs while Yamin Ahmadzai took three for 62 runs in 18 overs.
The Chevrons’ bowlers once again proved a class above as they took three wickets before stumps were called. Afghanistan were on 46/3, trailing by 40 runs after Muzarabani struck twice and Raza once before bad light brought play to a halt. Muzarabani took the wickets of Afghanistan’s openers, Abdul Malik (one run) and Riaz Hassan (11), while Raza bowled Hashmatullah Shahidi for 13 runs. Play resumes at 09:30 am today for the third day.
