In an action-packed 71-over day, Ireland is 250 and 33 for 5 (Tucker 9*, Ngarava 4-12, Muzarabani 1-16) and needs 125 runs to beat Zimbabwe, who scored 210 and 197 (Myers 57, Williams 40, McBrine 4-38, Young 2-37, Adair 2-42).
The day’s drama featured 15 wickets, six dropped catches, Tanaka Chivanga temporarily retiring hurt, and a game-changing four-over spell by Richard Ngarava. As the one-off Test enters its penultimate day, Zimbabwe requires just five more wickets, while Ireland needs another 125 runs to secure victory.
The day started with Zimbabwe trailing by 28 runs and all ten wickets intact. Dion Myers (57) and Sean Williams (40) capitalized on the favorable morning batting conditions, helped by a drizzle, to push their lead towards 100. Craig Young broke their stand, and Andy McBrine swiftly dismantled the tail, finishing with 4 for 58.
Chivanga, the No. 10, took a hit on the helmet from Barry McCarthy’s delivery, potentially off the shoulder, and had to retire hurt. After passing a concussion test, he returned to face more short balls from Ireland, eventually falling as the last wicket with Zimbabwe bowled out for 197. Their final five partnerships yielded just 46 runs, but those runs proved crucial as the pitch became increasingly difficult for batting.
Ngarava’s heroics came late in the day, delivering a fiery four-over spell that saw him take 4 for 12. His pace was evident, and the batters struggled to cope with his deliveries. The pitch conditions, combined with Blessing Muzarabani’s support, made Ireland’s chase a daunting task.
Ngarava struck with his second ball of the fourth innings, a searing delivery that had Peter Moor caught behind. Curtis Campher then fell to a short-and-wide delivery, caught at backward point. Despite Harry Tector’s brave resistance, every ball from Ngarava seemed dangerous.
Muzarabani joined the attack, claiming a third wicket in quick succession as Andy Balbirnie edged to slip. Tector, feeling aggrieved at a caught-behind decision he couldn’t review due to the absence of DRS, was another casualty. Paul Stirling took a few body blows before also falling to Ngarava.
Tucker offered some resistance, hitting two fours to bring Ireland into the thirties, but rain halted further damage from Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Zimbabwe had batted steadily. Prince Masvaure was controversially caught behind, and Myers and Craig Ervine added 34 before the latter fell lbw to Mark Adair. Williams, confident at No. 5, added 68 with Myers amid a drizzle that challenged McBrine and Young.
Young eventually dismissed Williams, and Matthew Humphreys claimed his maiden Test wicket. Myers’s fifty helped extend Zimbabwe’s lead towards 150 before falling lbw to Adair, with McBrine cleaning up the tail, setting Ireland a target of 158.
Ireland’s missed chances in the field were costly. McCarthy dropped a catch on the follow-through in the second over, and Adair missed Masvaure at third slip twice. Humphreys dropped Myers at backward point, Tucker failed to catch a low skidder off McBrine, and Adair missed Bennett at third slip, hurting himself in the process. Stirling also dropped Muzarabani at first slip.
With a promising weather forecast for day four, Zimbabwe’s bowlers will be eager to exploit the pitch’s sideways and variable bounce, while Ireland hopes for a less terrifying morning than the final session of day three.