Ireland 260 (McBrine 90*, Adair 78, Muzarabani 7-58, Ngarava 2-65) trail Zimbabwe 72 for 1 (Welch 33*, Kaitano 26*, McCarthy 1-25) by 188 runs
What started out as a potentially one-sided day in Bulawayo was anything but. Ireland zig-zagged through multiple ups and downs, however, Zimbabwe ended up dominating the day.
In reply, Zimbabwe lost Ben Curran early but Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch’s healthy starts saw off 21 overs to stumps, with the hosts trailing by 188 runs.
The day began under sunny skies but the first over showed the vagaries of a pitch that batters couldn’t trust. Peter Moor was lured by balls outside off, which brought him a boundary fourth ball but then the lack of bounce and pace had him drag a pull onto his stumps.
Curtis Campher got a jaffa that seamed away and beat his bat while trying to defend in the third over but then fell trying to counterattack Richard Ngarava in the fourth – the only batter in the Ireland top five to not fall to Muzarabani. Andy Balbirnie, who was in control against the full balls, was the next to go, out trying to flick a shortish ball that stopped in the pitch.
Muzarabani saved his best ball for Harry Tector, which seamed away to take a leading edge off the flick to have him caught at slip. He was then assisted by the pitch, which offered extra pace and bounce to undo Paul Stirling, caught at slip. And just like that, Ireland has lost half their side with nine overs yet to be bowled.
Tucker initially broke the shackles by punishing errors in length, particularly short balls that he cut and pulled with disdain. But he was dismissed chopping on a full ball off Trevor Gwandu in the 16th over.
Adair then took over the attacking role from Tucker. His approach was dictated by clarity, which he displayed with three boundaries off Gwandu two overs before lunch.
Zimbabwe’s ploy to use the pitch was punished after the break as the pitch lost its spice and the ball its hardness. Muzarabani couldn’t find consistency with his line. While his five-over spell went for just 11 runs, his partners – Newman Nyamhuri and Gwandu – were taken down for multiple boundaries as Adair brought up a 48-ball fifty.
Adair, who was handed a chance in the 34th over by Muzarabani, grew in confidence and kept the run rate in and around five. But a short-and-wide loose delivery from Muzarabani dismissed Adair as he tried to cut it through point. Barry McCarthy gloved a bumper to short leg but Ireland got to a much better condition, at 211 for 8.
McBrine didn’t farm strike at the start of the final session but managed to squeeze 44 runs with Craig Ervine and Matthew Humphreys for the final two wickets. When Humphreys was dismissed in the 57th over bowled by Ngarava, McBrine was stranded on 90 as Ireland were all out.
However with the ball, Ireland struck early when Curran tried to capitalise on a short-and-wide ball off McCarthy and was out caught behind. When Ireland tried to attack the Zimbabwe’s batters, they were driven into the outfield allowing two twos and two threes in the two overs following the wicket.
In the 11th over, Adair beat Kaitano with a peach that nipped away but Kaitano and Welch saw Zimbabwe through to stumps.
Ekanth is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
