da premier bet： It was a not-so-small step for a man, but a giant leap forward for blackcricket in Zimbabwe
John Ward29-Jul-2001It was a not-so-small step for a man, but a giant leap forward for blackcricket in Zimbabwe. Hamilton Masakadza, already Zimbabwe’s youngest (andfirst black) first-class centurion and youngest Test player, became theyoungest batsman at 17 years and 354 days to score a century on his Testdebut.Saleem Malik was the previous holder of this record, and for Zimbabwe, Masakadza follows in the footsteps of Dave Houghton – who at almost exactly twice Masakadza’s age remains the oldest player to score a century on Test debut!Overall Zimbabwe produced a major surprise for West Indies on the third dayof the Test Match at Harare Sports Club. After doing their best to throwaway the game on the first day, Zimbabwe’s batsmen regrouped so effectivelythat by the close they were 324 for four, 108 runs ahead of West Indies withsix wickets left. They began this morning wondering if they could lastout the day. They will start tomorrow believing they can win.West Indies bowled without inspiration and missed several crucial chances in the field. Zimbabwe’s top order, to their credit, exploited these lapses to the full, but if they do manage to pull off an amazing victory, the West Indianfielders will be primarily to blame.Masakadza, replacing Dion Ebrahim after the latter’s controversial dismissal the previous evening, showed his intentions early by hitting the second ball of the day for a beautifully timed on-driven four. He and Alistair Campbell played the West Indian pacemen quite confidently and competently, but Neil McGarrell, when he came on, found turn, occasionally vicious spin, from the pitch.Without forcing the pace, a confident partnership developed at a rate ofabout four runs an over, with Campbell playing the leading role butMasakadza impressing with his good sense and maturity. The usual large andlively crowd of township children was in attendance, as well as a couple ofhundred adult spectators.Campbell reached his fifty with an effortless flick for four over theleg-side field off McGarrell, and both batsmen, perhaps recognising thethreat he posed, seemed determined to seize every possible scoringopportunity off him. A century partnership was in the offing when, with thetotal on 118, Campbell (65) played indeterminately at Carl Hooper to be caughtat slip off the keeper’s gloves.McGarrell missed a hard return catch when Masakadza had 29, while CraigWishart, determined to be aggressive, escaped a possible stumping on 14.Masakadza’s only problems appeared to come when Colin Stuart reverse-swungthe ball in late to him from a full length. The West Indian bowling was notvery impressive, and Wishart hit Hooper for a huge six over the press box,only to survive a hard chance at silly point in the next over, fromMcGarrell.Masakadza ran to his fifty off 108 balls, looking more impressive all thetime. Wishart has perhaps never before given the appearance of suchconfidence at Test level, and a powerful if mistimed drive struck sillymid-off Daren Ganga a sickening blow by the eye, possibly ending hisparticipation in the match.A powerful pull for four by Wishart off Stuart brought up the batsman’sfirst Test fifty, in limited opportunities, since India’s visit three yearsago; it came off 91 balls. The century partnership came up and Zimbabwe took the lead with only two wickets down. Hooper’s leadership, so impressive when his team was on top, now began to appear rather limited.Wishart passed his previous Test best of 63 and caught Masakadza just beforetea, when both were on 81; without addition after tea, Wishart againbenefited from a botched stumping by Courtney Browne. The scoring slowed asboth batsmen approached centuries and West Indies took the second new ball.Wishart will forever rue his run-out for 93. He top-edged a ball almost tothe third man fielder and then appeared to stop in mid-pitch to expressrelief at his escape instead of completing his single; Browne lobbed theball to hit the bowler’s stumps as Wishart realised his aberration all toolate. The pair had added 170, the second-highest for Zimbabwe’s thirdwicket in Test cricket.Masakadza was then on 91, but he did not appear to let the dismissal affecthis concentration. He moved to 97 and played through a maiden fromMcGarrell, not without an unwise flirtation or two, before lashing Reon Kingthrough the covers for four to write his name into the history books.Shortly afterwards, perhaps battling physical and mental exhaustion, heoffered a simple catch to square leg that was dropped.Again Zimbabwe lost a wicket to the last ball of the day, this time withless doubt, as Guy Whittall was trapped lbw on the back foot by McGarrell’sarm ball for 14. Masakadza, on 115, lived to fight another day.