OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Saturday 6.00pm.
ZIMBABWE need to make 148 with nine second innings wickets remaining to avoid an innings defeat by Australia at the end of play Saturday in the one-off inaugural cricket Test in Harare.
With Zimbabwe fighting back gamely the prospects of them making Australia bat again are still promising.
After making 194 in their first innings Zimbabwe were hanging on at 1 for 80 when stumps were drawn at the close of the third day. Australia had scored 422, with last man Glenn McGrath out just before the tea break, giving them a first innings lead of 228.
The day belonged to Australia’s captain Steve Waugh and only by a slightly lesser extent to Zimbabwe’s hunter-farmer fast bowler Heath Streak.
Waugh’s unbeaten 151 was his 20th Test century in 189 innings. It took him within 200 runs of a career 8000 and his average to close on 51.
He hit 18 boundaries and figured in two big partnerships, 78 with brother Mark, who made 90 and 114 with Damien Fleming, whose contribution near the end of Australia’s innings, in scoring 65, was significant as it reasserted his side’s dominance.
Streak plugged away in short bursts, bowling generally just short of a length and his 5-93 was the fourth five-wicket haul he has achieved in Tests.
The day began with Ian Healy, five overnight, falling first ball lbw to Bryan Strang. Then Streak persuaded Shane Warne to give a catch behind the wicket in his second over of the day – hence the need for Fleming to succeed. He did so with confidence and aggression, hitting 10 boundaries.
Zimbabwe returned Test debutant Trevor Gripper to his rightful place as opener (he batted at number seven in the first innings for four runs) and with Grant Flower the home side’s openers were able to defy Australia for exactly two hours, surviving multiple appeals by Shane Warne, before Flower was lbw to Glenn McGrath for 32.
Gripper, unbeaten after 150 minutes on 25 runs and Murray Goodwin were able to dig in until stumps were drawn. — AFP
16