Zimbabwe earn first innings lead at Gisborne

A three-wicket burst by Neil Wagner enlivened proceedings during the second day of the tour match between Zimbabwe and a New Zealand XI at Gisborne today [22 January].

The Otago left-arm fast bowler snapped up three wickets in the space of 13 deliveries after lunch before the tourists went on to reach 328 for nine in their first innings at Harry Barker Reserve.

With one day remaining Zimbabwe hold a first innings lead of 56 runs.

Wagner’s input was timely after Zimbabwe were progressing nicely at 174 for three in response to the composite team’s 272 for seven declared.

Having resumed on 39 without loss this morning, Zimbabwe lost three wickets before lunch as Chris Martin induced an edge behind off Tino Mawoyo on 25, fellow opener Hamilton Masakadza hooked left-armer Andy McKay to Wagner in the deep on 24 and Forster Mutizwa came and went quickly for a duck.

But Wagner later struck just as it seemed as if Tatenda Taibu and Malcolm Waller could see their side past the home side’s opening effort.

They had put on 119 for the fourth wicket and looked at ease when Wagner had Taibu caught by Kane Williamson for 66, scored in 147 minutes with 11 fours.

Waller soon joined his colleague back in the pavilion for a 143-minute 58 with eight fours when Wagner collected an edge through to wicketkeeper BJ Watling then Elton Chigumbura was dismissed for a first ball duck.

Wagner ended with the figures of three for 86 off 19 overs.

Any prospects of the New Zealanders slicing through the lower order were frustrated by Regis Chakabva, who held the innings together by registering the tourists’ third half-century with a fine 87 not out.

Chakabva, who has so far struck 12 fours and two sixes, enjoyed an unbroken 10-wicket stand of 72 with tailender Ray Price, who contributed 19 not out.

Besides Wagner, veteran fast bowler Chris Martin commanded respect as he finished with two for 39 off 18 accurate overs while seamer Brent Arnel was difficult to get away in conceding just 25 runs off 17 overs.

The three-day fixture is Zimbabwe’s only outing before a one-off test against New Zealand, starting at McLean Park in Napier on Thursday, with one-day and Twenty20 series to follow.

Scorecard:

NEW ZEALAND XI First Innings

MG Bracewell lbw b KM Jarvis 0
CFK van Wyk c T Taibu b BV Vitori 5
KS Williamson c T Taibu b SW Masakadza 26
LRPL Taylor b KO Meth 7
DL Vettori c MN Waller b E Chigumbura 49
BJ Watling run out (KM Jarvis/RW Chakabva) 84
SR Wells c RW Chakabva b SW Masakadza 65
TS Nethula not out 17
Extras (lb 5, wd 2, nb 12) 19
Total (for 7 wickets declared, 73.5 overs) 272

Fall: 1-6 (MG Bracewell, 2.3), 2-6 (CFK van Wyk, 5.1), 3-32 (LRPL Taylor, 11.3), 4-59 (KS Williamson, 20.2), 5-114 (DL Vettori, 32.2), 6-239 (SR Wells, 64.4), 7-272 (BJ Watling, 73.5)

Bowing: KM Jarvis 8-4-27-1, BV Vitori 13-1-60-1 (8nb), SW Masakadza 11-1-36-2 (1w, 1nb), KO Meth 12-3-31-1, E Chigumbura 7-0-42-1 (1w, 2nb), AG Cremer 11-2-38-0, MN Waller 2-0-6-0, RW Price 9.5-2-27-0

ZIMBABWE First Innings

TMK Mawoyo c LRPL Taylor b CS Martin 26
H Masakadza c N Wagner b AJ McKay 24
F Mutizwa c BJ Watling b CS Martin 0
T Taibu c KS Williamson b N Wagner 66
MN Waller c BJ Watling b N Wagner 58
RW Chakabva not out 87
E Chigumbura c CFK van Wyk b N Wagner 0
AG Cremer c LRPL Taylor b DL Vettori 13
KO Meth c LRPL Taylor b TS Nethula 3
SW Masakadza c CS Martin b AJ McKay 25
RW Price not out 19
Extras (b 1, lb 1, wd 1, nb 4) 7
Total (for 9 wickets, 104.0 overs) 328

Fall: 1-45 (TMK Mawoyo, 20.5), 2-45 (F Mutizwa, 22.2), 3-55 (H Masakadza, 27.5), 4-174 (T Taibu, 56.6), 5-181 (MN Waller, 60.6), 6-181 (E Chigumbura, 62.1), 7-203 (AG Cremer, 70.4), 8-210 (KO Meth, 73.6), 9-256 (SW Masakadza, 90.1)

Bowing: AJ McKay 16-4-61-2, CS Martin 18-5-39-2, BJ Arnel 17-8-25-0, N Wagner 19-2-86-3 (1w, TS Nethula 18-0-63-1 (4nb), SR Wells 9-3-26-0, DL Vettori 6-3-15-1, KS Williamson 1-0-11-0