Match Thread: Afghanistan v Zimbabwe 1st Test (2nd-6th March)

[ZIMFAN]

I know losing Raza late was a blow but if you told me at the start of the day they would be skittled and we would have a lead at the end of Day 1 I would have bitten your hand off. A good day with Zim winning the sessions 2.5-0.5.

[Jemisi]

In the lead after day 1. Can't complain too hard. We won the first two sessions, a draw in the third with so many wickets lost even as we made it to their score. So much riding on Sean

[tgk]

I'm happy with a 2 run lead after Day 1 stumps. Would've liked to not be 5 down but hey we support a team which is usually all out and 50 behind by now. Hopefully Burl settles into the conditions and goes long, Sean, hope he doesn't throw it away. We need to give the bowling attack as much of a margin as possible, can't count on lighting to strike twice.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Thank heavens we did not lose more. Raza could have stayed on and there was a huge score for the taking

[zimfan1]

In the lead after day 1. Can't complain too hard. We won the first two sessions, a draw in the third with so many wickets lost even as we made it to their score. So much riding on Sean

Thought Burl batted nicely at the end. Can't really complain about being two runs ahead with some batting to come after losing the toss.

[Jemisi]

We're going to need a solid lead. Need enough to have them mostly out before they make up the deficit. I don't feel comfortable chasing any more than 55 in the fourth innings.

[Jemisi]

Burl did look ok. Hopefully he can look ok for another 60 runs.

[Donald]

Donald Tiripano will come good tomorrow with the bat. Good old donny

[TapsC2]

Burl looked fairly comfortable which is a plus . One thing I know for sure is that Rashid Khan is going to clean us up on a dust bowl in the next game so we need to make this one count.

We need a lead of about 150 but I suspect we will be between 80 and 100 which i still think will be enough. They rarely bat long and I’m backing us to chase anything below 100. We would all have taken this situation after day 1 had anybody handed it to us.

Regis and Don are absolutely crucial here. The selection was right in the end. Blessing can a score 10 or so as well

[Jemisi]

30 runs from the Don could be match defining.