Captain Craig Ervine top scored with 75 as Zimbabwe made 243 in their first innings on day two of the second and final test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo on Friday.
Batting again, the tourists were 46-3 when bad light stopped play shortly before the scheduled close, leaving them 40 runs behind at Queens Sports Club in the southern city.
Stumps, Day 2
โ Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 3, 2025
Zimbabwe picked up three wickets!
Afghanistan finish on 46/3, trailing by 40 runs#ZIMvAFG #VisitZimbabwe ๐https://t.co/HdHfDCXyud pic.twitter.com/Q1BW9u2Irt
Ervine was ably supported by fellow veterans Sikandar Raza (61) and Sean Williams (49) as the home team recovered from 41-4 to build an 86-run first innings lead.
The 39-year-old skipper had partnerships of 71 for the fifth-wicket with Raza and 73 for the eighth wicket with Williams as Zimbabwe chase a first test victory since beating Afghanistan three years ago.
๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ - ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ: Patient fifty from captain Craig Ervine, his sixth Test half-century๐#ZIMvAFG #VisitZimbabwe ๐https://t.co/HdHfDCXyud pic.twitter.com/KUsgbBzEIw
โ Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 3, 2025
Ervine struck two sixes and four fours, Raza six fours, and Williams eight fours before walking a run short of a half century despite being given not out.
Williams, who batted lower in the order than usual at No 9 due to a back injury, believed he nicked a delivery from quick Rashid Khan and did not hesitate to depart.
Sean Williams, struggling with a back injury, walks after his heroic innings ended just a run short of fifty!#ZIMvAFG #VisitZimbabwe ๐https://t.co/HdHfDCXyud pic.twitter.com/uvAAv4Nvec
โ Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 3, 2025
Attempting a paddle-sweep off Zia-ur-Rehman, Raza missed and the ball hit the stumps. Ervine was the last to fall with his sweep caught at deep backward square leg by Riaz Hassan.
Legspinner Rashid Khan, who claimed the wickets of Williams and Ervine, was the most successful Afghan bowler with 4-94.
Opening bowler Blessing Muzarabani inflicted early second-innings damage on Afghanistan, sending openers Abdul Malik (1) and Hassan (11) to the pavilion with only 18 runs on the scoreboard.
Then, in a huge blow to the visitors, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (13) was bowled by an unplayable Raza delivery that pitched on middle before hitting off.
During the second day it was announced that Ireland will make an all-formats tour of Zimbabwe from 6-25 February.
A test in Bulawayo will be followed by six white-ball matches in Harare.
ZIMBABWE: Joylord Gumbie (wk), Ben Curran, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Sean Williams, Dion Myers, Craig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza, Newman Nyamhuri, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava
AFGHANISTAN: Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Afsar Zazai (wk), Rashid Khan, Shahidullah Kamal, Zia-ur-Rehman, Fareed Ahmad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Riaz Hassan, Ismat Alam
