[Match Thread] Zim v Pak 1st Test

[betterdays]

was really always coming ... but well done Prosper

21 to go

[brmtaylor.com admin]

That was always going to happen, he looked all at sea against Rahat Ali who has been bowling very well. It was still a useful innings from Utseya though.
I reckon they should send in Panyangara as a nightwatchman for S Masakadza.

[foreignfield]

Damn it, one ball too many for Pro.

[betterdays]

enjoyed that ...

[foreignfield]

But well played Shingi!

Another 30 or 40 runs tomorrow morning would make things really interesting.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Great effort by Zimbabwe. Definitely Zimbabwe's day, took the wicket almost straight away this morning and then added 281 at over 3 an over.

A 32 run lead is a great foundation to work off tomorrow. Obviously Chigumbura holds the key, but if S Masakadza can play a supporting role like Utseya did we might even be able to put together a more-than-handy lead.

Hopefully we don't just fold in the first hour, it would be really nice to see a determined effort to get through that first hour unscathed. The longer they are toiling away in the field the more demoralised they'll be; not often Zimbabwe get to put teams in that position. Have we had a first innings lead against anyone other than Bangladesh since returning to Test cricket?

[foreignfield]

When was the last time we took a first-innings lead against one of the top sides?

[CrimsonAvenger]

Only watched from Tea onwards again, but another serious day's play edged by Zim. Top 3 seems to have done quite a good job of negating the impressive swing bowling of the Pak seamers, but ideally, at least one of the 3 - Hamilton in particular - must have carried on. But What a partnership between Waller and Raza! Loved watching their positive intent. Chigs must have been under tremendous pressure with only batting meriting his selection, but so far so good. Enjoyed watching the gutsy effort by Utseya too. Tomorrow morning would be a tough one with the new ball and Rahat cutting the batsmen in half as he did with Utseya. Hope we get to add some more lucky runs to the total...

[Jemisi]

Pakistan win the last session by a bit. Great to have a lead, and everyone doing something at least. A lot obviosuly riding on Chigs and Shingi tomorrow. Will we be out for 290 or get that lead up to the 100 mark? I think we'll get past the 300 mark but probably short of 350.

Again, at the start of the day we'd have taken 281/7, certainly at the start of yesterday we'd have taken a 32 run lead with three wickets still in hand.

Can't see the last two adding anything of substance unless the senior partner smacks a few while the going is good.

[foreignfield]

When was the last time we took a first-innings lead against one of the top sides?

To answer my own question: Probably against the Windies in 2003 when Tibba, Streak and Blignaut took us to 500+.