The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe: 164 all out 77.5 overs (Tiripano 49*, Masvaure 42, Wagner 6/41)
New Zealand: 32-0 10 overs (Latham 16*, Guptil 14*)
New Zealand trail by 132 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the first innings
AN audacious batting display by tail end batsman Donald Tiripano and debutant Prince Masvaure guided Zimbabwe to a reasonably decent score after New Zealand left arm pace bowler Neil Wagner had ripped through the home team’s batting line up on the opening day of the first cricket Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Tiripano, in to bat at number 10 top was the highest run scorer with his best ever score in Test cricket of 49 runs not out off 162 deliveries, struck six fours and one six in 171 minutes spent at the crease, Masvaure was second best with a 98 ball 42, hit seven fours in 166 minutes in the middle with the two putting on 85 runs for the ninth wicket as Zimbabwe who won the toss, opted to make first use of the batting track recovered from 72 for eight to post 164 runs in 77.5 overs.
Wagner picked up a career best six wickets for 41 runs in 20.5 overs, eight of those being maidens at an economy rate of 1.97 runs per over as he ripped through the Zimbabwean batting order.
At the end of the opening day’s proceedings, New Zealand had compiled 32 runs for no loss inside 10 overs, still trailing Zimbabwe by 132 with 10 first innings wickets. Tom Latham was unbeaten on 16 runs while his opening partner Martin Guptil was not out on 14.
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