BULAWAYO: Andy McBrine struck a Test best 90 not out as Ireland recovered from a dismal start to post 260 all out on Thursday on the first day of a one-off match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe were 72 for one in reply at the close —188 runs behind — with debutant Nick Welch (33) and Takudzwanashe Kaitano (26) both unbeaten.

With Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani in superb form, the tourists, who won the toss and chose to bat first at Queens Sports Club, were reeling at 31 for five when McBrine joined Lorcan Tucker.

After seeing off Muzarabani, who took four of the first five including captain Andy Balbirnie (9) and star batsman Paul Stirling (10) and finished with 7-58, they stabilised the innings with a sixth-wicket partnership of 51.

When Tucker was bowled off an inside edge by Trevor Gwandu for 33, McBrine knuckled down again with Mark Adair to add 127 for the seventh wicket.

Adair took the fight to the Zimbabwe bowlers, reaching his 50 from 48 balls.

He clubbed 13 fours in his 78 before getting an outside edge to a Muzarabani delivery that flew to wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo.

McBrine, whose previous best Test innings was an unbeaten 86, hit 12 fours off 132 balls before running out of partners and Ireland were all out in 56.4 overs.

Zimbabwe suffered two pre-match blows with Sean Williams absent through injury and skipper Craig Ervine withdrawing for the birth of his child.

Test debutant Johnathan Campbell replaced Ervine as captain while Wesley Madhevere, not in the original squad, was also called into the XI.

Ireland managed to make one strike with the ball, when Ben Curran was caught behind off Barry McCarthy, but Welch and Kaitano then saw Zimbabwe safely to the close.

Scores in brief:

IRELAND 260 in 56.4 overs (A. McBrine 90 not out, M. Adair 78; B. Muzarabani 7-58, R. Ngarava 2-65); ZIMBABWE 72-1 in 21 overs (N. Welch 33 not out, T. Kaitano 26 not out).

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025