Ireland gain lead over Zimbabwe at rain-hit Stormont
A last-wicket partnership of 47 helps Ireland to a narrow lead against Zimbabwe after day two of the Test in Belfast.
Day two of Test match, Stormont
Zimbabwe 210 & 12-0 (4 overs): Masvaure 74; McBrine 3-37
Ireland 250 (58.3 overs): Moor 79, McBrine 28; Chivanga 3-39, Muzarabani 3-53
Ireland lead by 28 runs
A last-wicket partnership of 47 helped Ireland to a narrow first-innings advantage against Zimbabwe on day two of the Test at Stormont.
Andy McBrine (28) and Matthew Humphreys (27 not out) plundered late runs as Ireland made 250 in reply to Zimbabwe’s 210.
Zimbabwe openers Joylord Gumbie and Prince Masvaure saw out the final 15 minutes as the tourists reached 12-0 in their second innings at stumps.
Friday’s play was hit by two lengthy rain delays and the game is finely poised going into the weekend.
In a similar fashion to day one, the bowlers struggled in the morning session but excelled in the afternoon as Ireland lost seven wickets for 88 runs.
Tanaka Chivanga (3-39) took his first three Test wickets while Blessing Muzarabani also impressed with 3-53.
PJ Moor (79) and Andy Balbirnie (19) put on a record first-wicket stand for Ireland in Test cricket with their partnership of 71.
Moor also registered the highest Test score for an Ireland opener in Tests as he fell just four short of his best, which came when he was playing for Zimbabwe in 2018.
Ireland looked well on course to surpass Zimbabwe’s total but succumbed to an afternoon collapse, which came after a one-hour rain delay.
Paul Stirling thought he was out for a duck but a review found that Chivanga had over-stepped for a no-ball.
Stirling struggled before departing for 22 while Muzarabani took two wickets in two balls to dismiss Moor and then Lorcan Tucker for a golden duck.
Sean Williams was also a threat and his spin accounted for Stirling and Mark Adair (0) to finish with 2-11.
Zimbabwe impressed with the ball but they registered an unwanted Test record of 42 byes in an innings.
Humphreys plundered four boundaries and a six in a late flurry but there was proving to be little between the teams in the first Test match in Northern Ireland.
