MAWOYO RESCUES ZIM

GODFREY KOTI
Tinotenda Mawoyo scored 82 runs in the one off Coca Cola Test match against Pakistan at Queens in Bulawayo. The hosts were 245 for four at the close of play on Day one.
The hosts began their first innings account with their usual opening pair of Mawoyo and Vusimuzi Sibanda. Sibanda was the most aggressive of the two as he cleared the nine times for four in the first session before eventually being stumped by wicket keeper Adnan Akmal for a well crafted 45 off 66 deliveries. He departed in the 23rd over after failing to deal with a doosra from the bowling of off spinner Saeed Ajmal. The openers had a first wicket partnership of 71 runs.
Mawoyo was joined by Hamilton Masakadza whose body language lacked signs of confidence as he struggled to get off the mark. When he eventually got off to scoring runs, the record breaker did not trouble the scorers that much as he managed eleven off 48 deliveries. He went across the line attempting to go after a turning Akmal delivery but missed the ball completely and had his middle stump knocked off.
The captain Brendon Taylor stepped up to the crease joining Mawoyo who was trading carefully through the visitors’ attack. Talyor showed glimpses of brilliance clearing the boundary two times for with well timed drives before falling cheaply to a Ajmal ball. He was trapped leg before wicket after he had offered no shot at all leaving the umpire with not much of a choice but to signal his exit , he had scored ten runs in twelve deliveries.
It was former skipper Tatenda Taibu and Mawoyo who steadied the Zimbabwean ship after that crumble of the top order. Their fourth wicket partnership yielded 65 runs off 148 balls with seven fours, six of those came courtesy of Taibu. The pint size wicket keeper eventually fell for 44 runs off 70 deliveries, he had attempted the square cut shot but was let down by his poor foot movement leaving the score on 176 for four.
Ervine came in at five and played a supporting role to Mawoyo who managed to get his fifty off the 52nd over. Ervine ended the day 38 from 80 balls after playing amazing pedal sweep shots and a couple of drives both on the on and off side.
The pick of the Pakistani bowlers was Ajmal who picked up three wickets for 75 runs in 29 overs and had six maidens. Khan who conceded 37 runs after bowling sixteen overs picked up one important wicket of Taibu.
At the close of play Zimbabwe were 245 for the loss of four wickets with Mawoyo and Ervine at the crease at 82 and 38 runs respectively. Play resumes today at 10 am.