Brian Bennett and Craig Ervine scored centuries to put Zimbabwe firmly in control of the opening Test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo. After Sean Williams was bowled for 154, Ervine and Bennett combined for three-figure scores, propelling Zimbabwe to their highest Test total of 586. In response, Afghanistan led 95/2 at Stumps on Day 2, with Rahmat Shah undefeated at 49.
Zimbabwe began the day on 363/4, but lost overnight centurion Sean Williams early in the day. Williams earned his second 150-plus score and had his career-best knock before being caught by Naveed Zadran’s short ball trap. This ended a 163-run partnership, but Zimbabwe continued to pile on the misery for Afghanistan, with Ervine and Brian Bennett contributing to the total. Ervine produced his fourth Test century and established a solid partnership with Bennett as Zimbabwe cleared 450.
Zia-ur-Rehman struck twice, sending Ervine and Brandon Mavuta back in the same over, as Zimbabwe finished the first session of Day 2 with 471/7. Bennett Bennett proceeded to deflate Afghanistan after resuming play, scoring his first fifty-plus score in Test cricket. He was well assisted by debutant Newman Nyamhuri and Blessing Muzarabani in two 40-plus runs for the eighth and ninth wickets. Muzarabani’s dismissal left Zimbabwe at 548/9, with Bennett batting on 79 and relying on another debutant, Trevor Gwandu, to dig in and help him to his first Test ton.
Brian Bennett also hit a six against Zia-ur-Rehman, his second of the innings, his way to 90 runs. Zimbabwe’s 565 with Bennett’s partnership was their highest Test total, surpassing the 563 they reached against the West Indies in Harare in 2001. Bennett felt he was done after hitting Naveed’s delivery to the deep square leg fielder. But fortune smiled on him when the fielder crossed the ropes after catching the ball, adding six more runs to Bennett’s total as he approached 100. He rejoiced with another six people before Gwandu became the last to leave, leading into Tea.
Gwandu then made an early breakthrough, dismissing Sediqullah Atal for three. Abdul Malik and Rahmat Shah had a stable collaboration, with the latter setting regular boundaries. Rahmat also got a lucky break when Dion Myers dropped him at gully, denying Nyamhuri his first Test wicket. The pair raised the fifty partnership, but Zimbabwe managed to tighten it up, slowing the scoring rate with a few quiet overs as they attempted to put pressure on Afghanistan.
The partnership of 61 was eventually broken when Muzarabani startled Malik with a short delivery, catching him at backward square leg. However, with 15 overs remaining in the day’s play, Zimbabwe were forced to rely only on spin as the weather became dark at Queens Sports Park. Rahmat and Hashmatullah Shahidi took advantage of it with a couple boundary hits: Rahmat hammered a six and a four off Williams, while Shahidi scored three fours off Mavuta before the players were forced to leave the field due to poor lighting with nine overs remaining in the day.
Scores after the end of the day:- Zimbabwe 586 (Sean Williams 154, Brian Bennett 110*, Craig Ervine 104; AM Ghazanfar 3-127) lead Afghanistan 95/2 (Rahmat Shah 49*; Blessing Muzarabani 1-15) by 491 runs.
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