Half a century from each of the top three in Zimbabwe made things go better on the opening day of the first of two tests against Sri Lanka in Harare.
Never before have all Nos.1-3 in Zimbabwe passed the same test innings fifty, and all have shown excellent application against a disciplined attack in Sri Lanka.
STUMPS in Harare!
— ICC (@ICC) January 19, 2020
An excellent first day for Zimbabwe, who finish on 189/2. This is the FIRST time their top three have made fifties in the same Test innings 👏#ZIMvSL SCORECARD: https://t.co/LAJJ5vtdid pic.twitter.com/ogL9n2EWhv
The inexperience of the opening couple will only have made their success sweeter. Prince Masavure has only two tests and two ODI caps, but that’s four more than international debutant Kevin Kasuva. However, the pair played like two veterans and kept the first 50 overs, although only 96 runs came.
Sri Lanka finally had a breakthrough from the first ball of the 51st, and Lasith Embuldeniya tempted Masavure to come down the route. At that point, he missed an attempted blow and was caught by Captain Dimuth Karunaratne in the fall.
This dismissal brought seasoned Craig Ervine to his knees and he played with a little more momentum, scoring a two-ball run rather than a three-ball run. He and Kasuza lined up for the second wicket for half a century before Kasuza fell, who was pinned by a full throw from Lahiru Kumara.
Brendan Taylor then helped Ervine drive the overs away until the bad light ended the process, marking an extremely positive day for Zimbabwe on the first day of Test cricket the country has experienced for over two years.
