1st Test: Zimbabwe v South Africa at Harare, 7-11 Sep 2001 CricInfo Live Report

1st Test: Zimbabwe v South Africa at Harare, 7-11 Sep 2001
John Ward

Zimbabwe 2nd innings: Day 3 - Tea,
Zimbabwe 1st innings: Day 3 - Lunch,
Live Reports from previous days

ZIMBABWE SLIDE INTO TROUBLE IN FOLLOW-ON AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA

Zimbabwe were quickly in trouble in their second innings, slipping to 18 for two at tea as they followed on on the third day of the first Test match against South Africa at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday. Earlier, Zimbabwe had been bowled out for 286 in their first innings, despite a brave 142 from Andy Flower.

Flower duly reached his 10 Test century, and the first by a Zimbabwean against South Africa, in the first over after lunch, playing a rare straight drive to the boundary past bowler Makhaya Ntini. Every one of his three-figure scores has been recorded in adversity.

Travis Friend, who has a first-class century to his credit, provided due stability at the other end, but Flower did play one or two false strokes as he tried to garner as many runs as he could before running out of partners.

Friend gained in confidence as South Africa took the second new ball, hitting three fours in an over from Nel, although one was an accidental and amusing deflection to fine leg off the back of the bat as he ducked a bouncer. Is this the birth of the reverse cut? Flower hammered Pollock for three successive off-side boundaries, and it was Nel who finally broke the stand, as Friend (30) edged him to third slip. The pair had added an invaluable 75 for the ninth wicket.

Douglas Hondo defended gallantly while Flower was last out, adjudged lbw to Pollock for 142 by umpire Tiffin despite being hit outside the line of off stump while playing a stroke. He faced 200 balls and hit 14 fours as the Zimbabwe innings came to an end for 286. 314 runs behind, they were required to follow on.

Zimbabwe were soon rocked by the loss without a run on the board of Dion Ebrahim, who failed to learn from his captain the danger of padding up without playing a stroke, although this time umpire Hair's decision in favour of Pollock looked good. Then, on the stroke of tea, Jacques Kallis again took a wicket in his first over, bowling Alistair Campbell (7) through the gate via the inside edge.

ANDY FLOWER FIGHTS REARGUARD ACTION ON DAY 3 IN HARARE

Another fine rearguard action by Andy Flower held the Zimbabwe first innings together during the morning session of the third day at Harare Sports Club, but the loss of four wickets at the other end meant that Zimbabwe's difficult task of saving the follow-on was rendered virtually impossible.

At lunch Zimbabwe were 207 for eight, with Flower unbeaten and five runs short of his tenth Test century.

Zimbabwe lost a wicket to the first ball of the morning, as Andre Nel made a ball lift on the unsuspecting night-watchman Raymond Price (0), to lob off the shoulder of his bat into the gully. With the total still on 143, Grant Flower (0) was brilliantly caught by Boeta Dippenaar at short leg off Nel and Zimbabwe, capable of both heights and depths, seemed intent on plumbing the latter.

At least Zimbabwe had coming in at number eight a man who has a Test double century and a 188 to his credit in Guy Whittall, and he looked in little trouble as he stayed there with Andy Flower, who as usual showed the ability to play each ball entirely on its merits.

A large partnership was a real possibility until Jacques Kallis, who had been in danger of losing his cool when bowling to Flower, deceived and yorked Whittall (16) with an excellent slower ball. Zimbabwe were 188 for seven, and it appeared that only an outstanding partnership between Flower and Heath Streak could save the follow-on.

Flower, backing himself as he played his favourite reverse sweep several times against the spin of Claude Henderson, reached 4 000 Test runs when he had scored 92, but lost Heath Streak (7) just before lunch, as the Zimbabwe captain padded up to a ball from Henderson outside off stump that did no more than hold its line, and was adjudged lbw by umpire Hair. The replay showed the decision to be in error, but Streak had only himself to blame for not playing a stroke.