OWN CORRESPONDENT, Bloemfontein | Friday 3.30pm
ZIMBABWE are in desperate trouble as South Africa left them at 192 all out after just 75 overs on the opening day of the historic first Test Bloemfontein on Friday.
Zimbabwe were reeling on 121/7 at tea.
The partnership between Andy Flower and Alistair Campbell, forged before lunch, did not hold up for long as Campbell went for 27, while Flower could only reach 13.
Shaun Pollock claimed both wickets while Allan Donald took his first Test wicket in Bloemfontein when he had Neil Johnson caught behind by Mark Boucher.
Jacques Kallis claimed the scalp of Gavin Rennie for 14, having him caught in the slips by Daryll Cullinan.
Earlier, Hansie Cronje won the toos and sent the visitors in to bat on a pitch that looked the part, with movement and pace in evidence.
Cronje’s decision proved to be spot-on, as Shaun Pollock trapped Grant Flower in front and sent him back to the hut for a duck with the eighth delivery of the morning.
After Flower’s dismissal Murray Godwin joined Trevor Gripper (16) at the crease. His stay was also not a very productive one as he was caught behind by keeper Boucher for seven, Pollock again doing the damage.
The South Africans then needed a bit more effort to break up the partnership of skipper Campbell (16 not out) and Gripper, who dug themselves in well. All that was changed when they tried to scamper a suicidal second run off the bowling of Lance Klusener.
Gripper was sent back by his skipper, but he was well out as Boucher collected from debutant Boeta Dippenaar at backward square-leg and took the bails off.
Andy Flower (2 not out) joined Campbell in the middle and they held out for 19 minutes until the break.
Scoreboard:
Zimbabwe innings:
G Flower lbw b Pollock 0 (5m, 6b)
T Gripper run out (Dippenaar) 16 (101m, 70b)
M Goodwin c Boucher b Pollock 7 (32m, 29b)
A Campbell c Klusener b Pollock 27 (130m, 83b)
A Flower lbw b Pollock 13 (46m, 46b)
N Johnson c Boucher b Donald 6 (15m, 9b)
G Rennie c Cullinan b Kallis 14 (67m, 39b)
G Whittall c Boucher b Kallis 85 (148m, 114b)
B Strang c Cronje b Pollock 9 (27m, 23b)
H Olonga b Kallis 1 (47m, 33b)
M Mbangwa not out 0 (8m, 5b)
Extras (6lb, 5nb, 3w) 14
Total (all out) 192 — 75 overs
Fall of wickets: 1/1 2/14 3/41 4/63 5/78 6/79 7/117 8/140 9/183
Bowling: Donald 18-5-58-1 (2w), Pollock 21-6-39-5 (5nb), Klusener
16-5-40-0, Kallis 17-4-44-3 (1w), Adams 3-1-5-0.
Toss: won by South Africa