Zimbabwe strike back after solid start from SA openers

Kyle Jarvis picked up the wicket of Dean Elgar © AFP

After a fine opening stand of 72 between Aiden Markram (44*) and Dean Elgar (31), Zimbabwe bounced back by picking up two scalps as the hosts progressed to 96 for 2 at Tea on Day 1 of the one-off Day-Night Test between Zimbabwe and South Africa in Port Elizabeth. Kyle Jarvis and Chris Mpofu were the wicket-takers, while South Africa lost Elgar and Hashim Amla (5).

After South Africa won the toss and elected to bat in their inaugural Day-Night Test at home, Elgar and Markram played with a degree of caution to negate the seaming conditions on view. In the first over of the match itself, Jarvis burst out a loud appeal for LBW with Elgar being the batsman. However, it was too high and was rightly turned down. Elgar, who was also beaten on the outside edge two overs later, soon got himself in and essayed an eye-catching drive through covers.

He also punched and clipped debutant Blessing Muzarabani in the eighth over. In the same over, Zimbabwe took a review for caught behind but the UltraEdge clearly showed there was a gap between bat and the ball. Hence, the original decision stayed. Markram, Elgar's batting partner, cracked a string of fours, including a few flashing cuts to keep the scorecard ticking over.

With the opening duo looking in good nick, Zimbabwe's fielders seemed set to chase the leather for the rest of the day. However, the visitors were able to keep themselves in the hunt with the scalps of Elgar and Amla. Elgar chipped a straight delivery from Jarvis into the hands of Peter Moor stationed at short mid-wicket. Amla then cut one to cover-point where Moor gleefully pouched the catch. Mpofu, the bowler himself, seemed a tad surprised by the wicket. The ball was asking to be cut to the fence, but Amla couldn't tailor the gap.

AB de Villiers (15*), playing in his first Test in nearly two years, made a bright start with a flick and a drive off Mpofu. However, Graeme Cremer found sharp turn to beat de Villiers's twice on the brink of Tea. The veteran, who is leading the side in the absence of the injured Faf du Plessis, will aim to notch up a big score and get himself into the groove before the highly anticipated Test series versus India. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, would be pleased with the fact that they were able to chip away at South Africa's top order.

Earlier, Dale Steyn, who was also expected to return to the national fold after recovering from shoulder injury, was ruled out of the game due to a viral infection.

The Boxing Day Test also turns out to be the first four-day Test played in 44 years. The last four-day Test was played between New Zealand and Pakistan in Auckland in 1973. There was a decent crowd in attendance today, while the quaint charms of old-fashioned stands, grass banks, gentle breeze blowing from the Indian Ocean and St. George's Park brass band gave the feeling of a bygone era.

Brief scores: South Africa 96/2 (Aiden Markram 44*; Kyle Jarvis 1-22) vs Zimbabwe.