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On November 9 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Craig Ervine's marathon knock helped Zimbabwe achieve what no team has in 149 years of Test cricket. In the first Test of the series against Afghanistan in the UAE, Zimbabwe became the first team to register 500-plus scores in each innings of a Test. In the drawn Test, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 504. Then, Afghanistan posted 514 and took a nominal 10-run lead. In reply, Zimbabwe posted 523/5 and the Test ended in a draw.
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Ervine remained unbeaten for 206, whereas Wessly Madhevere scored his maiden Test ton. 41-year-old (41 years, 82 days) Ervine became the third-oldest cricketer to score a Test double ton. The top spot belongs to South Africa's Eric Rowan, who was 42 years and six days old when he scored 236 against England in 1951. England's legendary batter Jack Hobbs was 41 years and 195 days of age when he scored 211 against South Africa in 1924. England's Patsy Hendren, South Africa's Dudley Nourse and England's Graham Gooch are other batters who scored a Test double ton after turning 40.
Ervine is only the sixth Zimbabwe batter to score a double ton in Tests. The previous Zimbabwe batter to score a Test double century was Andy Flower. In November 2000, Flower scored an unbeaten 232 against India. Flower had also scored an unbeaten 199 against South Africa in 2001.
With Ervine breaching the three figures, another rare instance was witnessed in Sharjah. With 40-year-old Brendan Taylor scoring a hundred already, this is only the second instance of multiple batters over 40 scoring hundreds in a Test. In 1926, England's Hobbs, Warren Bardsley, and Charles Macartney scored a ton each in a Test against Australia at Lord's. Notably, Macartney was 39 years and 346 days old when the Test started. His hundred came on Day 3 of the Test, excluding a rest day in between.
Taylor misses rare milestone
Despite Ervine’s double ton, it was Taylor who was adjudged ‘Player of the match’. He scored 131 in the first innings and followed it up with an 82-run knock. Had he not been run out and reached three figures in the second innings, he would've become the second batter after Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq to score a century in both innings of a Test after turning 40. Misbah did it in 2014 against Australia in the Abu Dhabi Test.
“Very pleasing. You know, to be standing here with some good friends of mine probably doesn't sit too well receiving this. You know, just over the moon for Craig. Wesley's first hundred. Brian Bennett, another hundred and leading the team so well. It's a wonderful feeling to share this with everyone,” Taylor said about his knock after the drawn Test.
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7 tons in a single Test
In the first innings, skipper Brian Bennett scored a century alongside Taylor. Bennett scored 128 runs from 206 balls. In reply, opener Sediqullah Atal scored 105 runs. On his Test debut, Rahmanullah Zadran scored 113. Skipper Rahmat Shah faced 347 balls and scored 173 runs. In Zimbabwe's second innings, Ervine scored a double ton. The Test came to an end with Madhevere reaching his maiden ton in Test format.
This is the first time Zimbabwe or Afghanistan have been involved in a Test featuring seven tons. In Test cricket history, there have been 11 Tests where seven or more centuries have been scored. Only two Tests have featured eight tons, whereas the other nine had seven centuries each.
Testing Day 5 for bowlers
At the end of Day 4, Zimbabwe were 164/3 with Ervine and Bennett in the middle. Bennett departed early after reaching his fourth Test fifty. The skipper got bowled by Saleem Safi for an 86-ball 58.
Ervine and Antum Naqvi made Afghanistan bowlers toil hard in the hot conditions of Sharjah. No more wickets were lost in the first session. Zimbabwe were 252/4 at the lunch break.
In the second session, Naqvi reached his fifty from 110 balls. Then, Ervine reached his ton from 161 balls. Even when the second new ball was taken by Afghanistan and Naqvi was dismissed for 61, there were no signs of acceleration or a declaration from Bennett.
After a point, it was clear that Zimbabwe don't want to test their luck on a flat pitch and would be happy with a draw. Zimbabwe were 372/5 at the end of the second session.
Ervine reached his 150 from 215 balls. Madhevere picked up pace and started scoring freely. In the last session, Shahidullah Kamal created a chance, but Ervine's catch was dropped by Shah at mid-on. He got a reprieve at 161. In the next over, Madhevere completed his half-century from 50 balls. After Ervine’s maiden Test double ton and Madhevere’s maiden Test ton, the Test ended in a draw.
Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar took two wickets, whereas Safi and Abdul Malik bagged one wicket each. Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Qais Ahmad remained wicketless, along with the part-time bowlers.
Afghan bowling coach on flat surface
Despite the drawn Test, Afghanistan bowling coach Hamid Hassan lauded the bowlers for managing to finish the Test without getting injured on a flat surface. He was left impressed with their fighting spirit.
“They bowled brilliantly. But the wicket was very, very flat. And luckily there was no injuries. And I was just hoping and praying that our seamers did not get injured because the surface was so flat. And all those efforts they put in the game from last five days, it was unbelievable, amazing. I think it's a brilliant effort. But, we couldn't manage to get the wickets. But they fought hard,” Hassan told the broadcasters after the Test.
However, Hassan hopes that the pitch for the second Test provides assistance for the bowlers. He does not want another draw in the series.
“Obviously everybody loves to play on the good surface that you can give a tough time to the batters and give some tough time to the bowlers as well. But yeah, this surface was so, so flat. And you see the result, more than 1500 runs been scored in both innings. And more than I think almost 450 overs been bowled. So yeah, hopefully next game a little bit helpful and we can get something that people can enjoy,” he added.
The second Test of the series will be played at the same venue starting November 13.
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