Zimbabwe vs Pakistan: 1st Test, Day 2 - Zimbabwe take a handy 32-run lead

Malcolm Waller top scored for Zimbabwe with 70 runs

Zimbabwe continued their good performance going into the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe. After dismissing Pakistan for a total of 249 in their first innings, Zimbabwe managed to post 281 runs for the loss of 7 wickets at the end of the second day.

Saeed Ajmal who resumed the day on his overnight score of 49, but was dismissed on the very first ball of the day by Tendai Chatara. The off-spinner, who had a field day yesterday with his unorthodox approach, tried to defend a ball which swung in to crash on to the stumps.

Zimbabwe in reply, fortunate to survive an extremely impressive opening burst from Rahat Ali, had a decent first session, going into lunch with a loss of just one wicket for 67 runs, that of Tino Mawoyo, who nicked an outswinger from Junaid Khan to the keeper.

The home team was dealt with a double blow as soon as the innings resumed, with both Vusi Sibanda, edging Junaid to Adnan Akmal, and Hamilton Masakadza, beaten in defence by Ajmal’s off spinner, back in the hut.

Just when it looked like it would be yet another Zimbabwean collapse, Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller combined to put together a valuable 127-run partnership at a fairly fast rate of 3.81 per over to take their team to a comfortable position with the scoreboard reading 195/3.

Pakistan desperately needed wickets to come back into the game and Ajmal obliged by sending back both the set batsmen. Waller, when on 70, perished edging a delivery on driving length to the first slip and Raza holed out to Misbah at midwicket after scoring 60 runs.

Zimbabwe Wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, coming in at number 7, found Ajmal’s variations too hot to handle eventually becoming his fourth victim. Rahat Ali finally got his first wicket and a much deserved one at that to leave Zimbabwe at 281/7 towards the end of the day. Elton Chigumbura, remaining unbeaten on 40 runs, made sure that the home team got a handy lead of 32 runs.