Zimbabwe A inch ahead on bowlers' day
Sixteen wickets tumbled on the first day - all to the seamers - at the Country Club in Harare but it was the hosts Zimbabwe A who had their noses in front
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Jul-2014
Zimbabwe A 135 for 6 (Jongwe 50*, Ahmadzai 4-48) lead Afghanistan 105 (Shah 27, Chatara 5-31) by 30 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Sixteen wickets tumbled on the first day - all to the seamers - at the Country Club in Harare but it was the hosts Zimbabwe A who had their noses in front. Afghanistan were sent crashing to 105 but there was more drama in store as Zimbabwe A were reeling at 30 for 5 at one stage. However, an unbeaten 50 from Luke Jongwe saved the hosts the embarrassment of tumbling for a lesser score.
It was a combined bowling effort by Zimbabwe A after winning the toss, with Tendai Chatara leading the way with a five-wicket haul. Only three Afghanistan batsmen scored in double figures, with Rahmat Shah top scoring with 27. Michael Chinouya, Tendai Manatsa and Jongwe shared the other five wickets to end the innings in just 47.1 overs.
Afghanistan's Yamin Ahmadzai jolted the hosts' top order by removing Brian Chari, Sikandar Raza and Mark Vermeulen by the ninth over. Zimbabwe A were in tatters at 16 for 4 and in the 13th over, they had already lost half their side. Jongwe and captain Regis Chakabva added 45 for the sixth wicket before Chakabva fell for 32, caught off Fareed Ahmad.
Jongwe batted positively, hitting seven boundaries and a six to help his side take the lead. Jongwe and John Nyumbu put on an unbroken 60, the highest stand of the day, to give the hosts a slender lead.
