MONDAY, 11.30AM:
PAKISTAN took three blows in the final half hour when they lost three quick sticks for 18 runs on the second day of the second and final cricket Test against Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Seamer Mpumelelo Mbangwa took two wickets in as many deliveries, sending back Azhar Mahmood for 20 and breaking a stubborn sixth-wicket stand of 70 with Mohammad Waseem and Wasim Akram for a duck as Pakistan slid from 169/5 to 169/7.
Mbangwa could have had four scalps, had he not spilled Mohammad Waseem off a caught-and-bowled on 81.
Pakistan had scant joy, however, when captain Rashid Latif fell in the penultimate over, edging Bryan Strang to first slip for four with the score on 187/8.
At the close of the second day’s play Pakistan were 190/8, still 87 runs behind with two wickets in hand. Waseem, approaching his second Test century in his 10th Test, was unbeaten on 96 and with him was Mushtaq Ahmed who was yet to score.
Scoreboard at stumps on Sunday:
Zimbabwe, first innings 277
Pakistan, first innings (overnight 18-0)
S.Anwar lbw b G.Whittall 15
A.Naqvi c A.Flower b G.Whittall 13
M.Waseem not out 96
I.Ul-Haq c and b B.Strang 13
Y.Youhana c A.Flower b Mbangwa 9
M.Khan b B.Strang 12
A.Mahmood c G.Whittall b Mbangwa 20
W.Akram c G.Rennie b Mbangwa 0
R.Latif c sub (A.Whittall) b B.Strang 4
M.Ahmed not out 0
Extras (5lb, 2nb, 1w) 8
Total (for 8 wkts) 190
Fall of wkts: 1-31, 2-46, 3-61, 4-88, 5-119, 6-169, 7-169, 8-187.
Bowling: Streak 21-4-59-0(1w); Mbangwa 25-12-31-3; B.Strang 18-8-26-3; G.Whittall 20-3-45-2(2nb); A.Huckle 10-6-15-0; Goodwin 1-0-8-0.
SPORT BRIEFS
TERGAT TOO GOOD
KENYAN world cross-country champion, Paul Tergat, won the men’s 12km title at the world cross-country championships in Morocco on Sunday. South African, Hendrik Ramaala, who was fancied to take a place in the top eight, could not make the top 30. Tergat finished in 34:01, with compatriot Paul Koech (34:06) finishing second. Ethiopian runner, Assefa Mezegebu finished twenty-seven seconds slower than Tergat to take third spot. Collen de Reuck, South Africa’s hope in the 8km women’s event, finished 15th on Saturday behind British runners, Sonia O’ Sullivan and Paula Radcliffe.
JOUBERT TAKES FIFTH OM DIE DAM
THE anticipated clash between Rene du Plessis and Helene Joubert for the title in the 50km Old Mutual Om Die Dam (Around the Lake) marathon never materialised. Du Plessis could not hold up the pace, and needed first aid treatment as she finished, more than ten minutes slower than winner Joubert. Joubert’s win secured her fifth title as she crossed the finish line in 3hrs 31min 52sec, at Hartbeespoortdam on Saturday.
FREDERICKS CLOCKS 10:08
NAMIBIAN sprinter, Frankie Fredericks, clocked the fastest time ever run at the coast in South Africa, turning the tables on American Tim Montgomery, who beat him on Monday, in a sparkling time of 10:08 seconds at the Engen Grand Prix meeting at the Greenpoint stadium at the weekend.
PETELO’S FIRST DEFENCE A CLOSE CALL
EVEN though Zolani Petelo beat Indonesian challenger Faisal Akbar hands down at the Carousel on Saturday night an Indonesian ringside judge almost spoiled the fight by scoring it 113-115 in Akbar’s favour, thereby forcing a split decision. Petelo won the mandatory defence of his IBF mini-flyweight title convincingly, a fact not reflected in Indonesian judge, Mohamed Binsjech’s scorecard. Visiting judge Remeggio Ruggeri, saw the fight 115-113 in Petelo’s favour, while SA judge Clement Martin came closest to the truth, scoring the fight 118-110. Boxing officials were outraged at the Indonesian official’s blatant dishonesty, and an SA comissioner was heard remarking that he wondered what fight the judge was watching. All indications are that Petelo will next fight in a WBO unification bout before he moves up in weight.
SA BOXING REWARDED
SOUTH Africa’s top trainer Mzi Mnguni, and his two IBF champions, junior featherweight Vuyani Bungu and strawweight Zolani Petelo have won awards on offer by their sanctioning body. Mnguni is the IBF Trainer of the Year, Petelo has earned Upset of the Year for beating Thailand’s Ratanapol Sor Vorapin over four rounds in December. Bungu won the award, Fight of the Year for his title defence against former IBF and current WBO titleholder Kennedy McKinney in April last year. They will be awarded their prizes at the annual IBF convention in Orlando, Florida, from May 26-30.