Brendan Taylor scored 131, his first Test hundred in about eight years, as Zimbabwe ended day one of the first Test against Afghanistan in Sharjah on 326 for 5. Brian Bennett was unbeaten on 71 and Wessly Madhevere on 29.
SHARJAH, 5 November: Brendan Taylor made 131 and Brian Bennett remained unbeaten on 71 as Zimbabwe finished the first day of the first Test against Afghanistan on 326 for 5 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Taylor ends a long wait
Innocent Kaia (34) and Ben Curran (42) gave Zimbabwe an opening stand of 60 before Kaia fell. Curran then added 65 with Taylor, and when Curran went the score was 125 for 2. Taylor and Bennett took over from there with a third-wicket stand of 137, and Zimbabwe were 213 for 2 at tea with Taylor on 95 and Bennett on 36.
Taylor reached his hundred soon after the break with an upper-cut for four off Mohammad Saleem. It was his seventh Test century and his first in about eight years. He was out to a flighted delivery from Hashmatullah Shahidi for 131 off 168 balls, an innings that included 14 fours and four sixes.
Afghanistan hit back
Zimbabwe went from 262 for 2 to 287 for 5 in a short spell. Zia-ur-Rehman, who finished with two wickets, removed Craig Ervine and debutant Antum Naqvi. Qais Ahmad, Saleem and Shahidi took one wicket each.
Bennett and Madhevere close the day
Bennett brought up his fifty and reached 71 off 128 balls by stumps. Wessly Madhevere was unbeaten on 29 off 31 balls, and the pair added an unbroken 39 to take Zimbabwe past 300 after the late wickets. They resume on Friday with Zimbabwe aiming for a big first-innings total.
The two sides last met in the UAE ODI Tri-Series final, which Afghanistan won, and in a T20I in Sharjah where Afghanistan also won. The second and final Test is at Sharjah from 13 to 17 November.
Day 1 score: Zimbabwe 326/5 after 87 overs (Brendan Taylor 131, Brian Bennett 71*, Ben Curran 42, Wessly Madhevere 29*; Zia-ur-Rehman 2 wickets).
