The first Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in Sharjah is heading towards a draw as batters continued to stay on top. Even though Afghanistan appeared to take control briefly at the start of Zimbabwe’s innings, Brendan Taylor and then later Brian Bennett stepped up to power the lead to 154 by stumps on the fourth day. With just a day left, all three results are still possible, though a draw appears the likelier outcome.
Resuming from 402/7, Afghanistan continued to blunt the Zimbabwe attack in the morning session. Only 63 runs were scored in that first session from 30 overs as Rahmat and Zia-ur-Rehman frustrated the opposition’s bowling attack. Zia-ur-Rehman in particular was happy to bat time as he made only 9 runs in the entire session, facing 76 deliveries. Rahmat, who began the day on 94, brought up his century in just the second over before getting into a shell. A dull period of play suddenly sprung to life when Rahmat advanced down the wicket against Graeme Cremer to hit him over his head for a boundary before following it up with another in the very next over.
Rahmat also slammed sixes off successive overs to pile on the misery before eventually going past 150 post lunch. The stubborn 92-run stand was finally broken courtesy of the new ball as Blessing Muzarabani found Zia-ur-Rehman’s outside edge. In search of his second double hundred, Rahmat fell for 173 when Cremer ended the marathon knock via a stumping. In the same over, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi launched one over the long on fence to power Afghanistan into the lead before Newman Nyamhuri put an end to the innings with his fifth wicket. Afghanistan were then handed an early boost with the ball when Zia-ur-Rehman trapped Innocent Kaia leg-before-wicket before Zimbabwe could even erase the 10-run deficit.
Taylor then came out with a positive intent on the back of his first innings century. Taylor slammed three fours before the Tea break and continued to make merry once play resumed in the final session, even though Ben Curran threw away his wicket. Bennett, Zimbabwe’s top-scorer in the first innings, joined Taylor to resurrect the innings. Taylor in particular looked in sizzling touch, scoring boundaries at will. He lofted Qais Ahmad down the ground to bring up his half-century off just 62 balls and smashed Zia-ur-Rehman for two more boundaries in the following over. The 40-year-old veteran took on the same bowler again for another six and at this point looked on course to reach three figures again.
However, against the run of play, a needless run out gave Afghanistan a breather as a furious Taylor went back to the pavilion for 82. Things could have gone from bad to worse for Zimbabwe when Craig Ervine hit one straight to short cover just two balls after Taylor’s departure but Rahmat put down that chance to hand the opposition a reprieve. Ervine made use of it as he hit back-to-back boundaries off Hashmatullah Shahidi to get going. Bennett then took over the mantle of pushing the scorecard as he found the boundary on a few occasions to push Zimbabwe’s lead past the 150-run mark before stumps.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 504 & 164/3 (Brendan Taylor 82, Brian Bennett 49*) lead Afghanistan 514 (Rahmat Shah 173, Rahmanullah Zadran 113; Newman Nyamhuri 5-82) by 154 runs
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