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Young gun shines on debut with HUGE 6s | 02:35
Ireland spinner Matthew Humphreys took four wickets to reduce Zimbabwe to 7/183 on a rain-hit fourth day on Sunday, leaving them well-poised for victory in the one-off Test in Bulawayo.
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The left-arm orthodox shared the individual honours on Day 4 with Zimbabwe counterpart Wessly Madhevere, who struck his first half-century in Test cricket to be unbeaten on 61 at the end of the penultimate day’s play.
More than four hours were lost due to two rain interruptions before bad light stopped play 12 minutes before stumps.
Zimbabwe need 109 runs to win on the final day, with a forecast of scattered thunderstorms again threatening to restrict play.
If Ireland wins, it would be the nation’s first Test triumph in the home of an opposition, and also mark their third straight win in international red-ball cricket. The 10th-ranked Test team in the world beat Zimbabwe in a one-off Test in Ireland last July, with a victory over Afghanistan in the UAE coming in February of 2024.
Humphreys, 22, dismissed first-innings star Nick Welch for five late on Saturday and added the prize wickets of Brian Bennett (45) and Johnathan Campbell (33) on Sunday.
The left-arm spinner also claimed the wicket of Nyasha Mayavo for eight to finish with figures of 4/41 at the Queens Sports Club.
His dismissal of Bennett ended a battling 65-run partnership for the fifth-wicket with Madhevere. A thick edge proved the undoing of the Zimbabwean, as wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker reacted sharply to make the catch.
Madhevere then combined with Campbell to add 56 for the sixth wicket, before the stand-in captain drove a full toss firmly back at Humphreys, who reacted quickly by sticking out his left hand to cling on to the catch.
Madhevere, who only came into the team shortly before the match began when skipper Craig Ervine withdrew for the birth of his child, played an assured innings striking seven fours in his undefeated 61 which came from 147 deliveries.
It was a pleasing change of fortunes for the 25-year-old, who has scored 87 runs in this match after ducks in his three previous Test innings.
The hosts will have to defy history if they are to win on Day 5, having never chased down more than 162 in the fourth innings of a Test match, and no more than 157 on home soil. The country’s highest-ever chase came in 1998 against Pakistan in Peshawar, when they finished on 3/162.
After the Bulawayo Test, the teams travel north to Harare for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.
