Watch cricket video highlights of Zimbabwe tour of Ireland 2024 Only Test day 3 between Ireland vs Zimbabwe. Venue of the match will be Belfast.
This 71-over day could not have packed in more activity. There were fifteen wickets, six mishandled catches, Tanaka Chivanga’s temporary retirement due to injury, and Richard Ngarava’s explosive four-over performance that completely changed the course of the match. In this one-off Test, Zimbabwe needs just five more wickets to win, while Ireland needs 125 more as we approach the last day.
With all ten wickets remaining, Zimbabwe was behind Ireland by 28 runs at the start of the day. Despite losing three wickets, the morning session, much like the other days of this Test, appeared to be the most favorable for the batsmen. Dion Myers (57) and Sean Williams (40) appeared to be benefiting from the drizzle as they extended their lead towards a hundred, but Andy McBrine (4-58) was able to run through the tail thanks to Craig Young breaking the stand.
Batting at No. 10, Chivanga was hit in the helmet by Barry McCarthy’s delivery, which may have bounced off his shoulder. He was forced to retire hurt. After passing a concussion test, he made a comeback, but Ireland kept bouncing him, taking a few more hits. After Chivanga was the final player to go, he was captured by McBrine, and Zimbabwe lost for 197. Only 46 runs were made in Zimbabwe’s last five partnerships, but later on, when Ireland came to chase, the weight of those runs would become apparent as the batting became even more difficult.
Ngarava proved to be the hero during his four-over period, demonstrating his rapid bowling without the need to consult a speedometer. The hitters also performed hesitantly, seeming as though they may always gain the upper hand. In the opening over, Blessing Muzarabani got one ball to lift up as the clouds thickened and the surface became more volatile. However, Ngarava’s furious back-of-length deliveries, which flew off the ground and smacked off Peter Moor’s hands to short leg, were unmatched by anything.
Even though Ngarava bowled short and wide, Curtis Campher made a straight cut to backward point, rewarding him for it. Harry Tector was not dismissed by a snorter or a shooter, and the remainder of the over created the sense that any ball on this surface could be a delivery that took a wicket. Almost immediately, Andy Balbirnie’s long drive off Muzarabani dropped to slip, leaving Ireland three down in 14 balls. After being judged to have been taken off guard by Ngarava, Tector was forced to retreat in disgust, maybe believing he had missed.
Since DRS was not used in this test and the third umpire could only make line calls, he was likewise unable to review. Paul Stirling also took some body shots, and as he attempted too many shots, Ngarava finally caught him off guard. Tucker made two fours in a brief onslaught to push Ireland into the thirtys. But with rain returning to get the last word, Zimbabwe may cause more harm to Ireland.
Prior to this, Zimbabwe played a good majority of the day at bat. Like Tector later in the day, Prince Masvaure was taken off guard and didn’t believe he was out. Next, Myers, No. 3, and Craig Ervine, No. 4, put on 34, but before lunch, the captain fell, lbw off Mark Adair’s shouldering arms. The No. 5 player, Williams, got out to a quick start, taking two boundaries off Campher, and he and Myers put up a steady but cautious 68-run stand. A light drizzle began to fall, making McBrine scramble for grip and Young give up three boundaries in a 15-run over.
Despite Young dismissing Williams and Matthew Humphreys taking his first wicket in a Test match, Myers reached fifty and helped Zimbabwe extend their advantage to 150. After attempting to elude an Adair gunshot, he was ultimately down lbw for57, and McBrine cleaned up the tail to leave the hosts with a goal of 158. Ireland could reflect on their squandered field goals at the conclusion of the game. McCarthy lost a catch on the follow-through in the second over of the day, giving them a chance. Adair also missed an opportunity to give Masvaure two lives in as many balls when he was at third slip.
The ball exploded over head and Humphreys dropped Myers, who was on 31, at backward point. In his subsequent over, Myers delivered a sliding low catch to Tucker, but Tucker was unable to hold it, forcing McBrine to face another drop. In the same over that he had dismissed Williams, Young had the opportunity to remove Brian Bennett as well, but the ball broke through Adair at third slip, injuring him. In the 61st over, Stirling also removed Muzarabani at first slip. Day four looks to have better weather, but Zimbabwe will be bowling with their tails up on a surface that allows for both sideways and up-and-down movement. Ireland hopes that day three’s dawn won’t be quite as scary as the nighttime was.
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