England v Zimbabwe - Day 2

A thoroughly solid and at times spectacular knock by Mark Butcher put England in total command at the end of the second day of the first nPower test match against Zimbabwe at Lord's today. England made 472, to which Zimbabwe replied with 48-1 for the loss of Mark Vermeulen

Resuming from their overnight position of 184-3, it was important that England consolidated in what appeared to be marginally more batsman-friendly conditions than were prevalent on Day 1. For Robert Key, it was an opportunity to add substance to what has been thus far a rather stuttering career in international cricket.

Key signalled his intent with a glorious early cover drive for four, but moments later he was undone, once again rather unluckily, when he appeared to play and miss at an outswinger from Zimbabwe skipper Heath Streak. Key clearly appeared to clip his pad but the noise was enough to convince umpire Steve Bucknor who gave the unfortunate Kent batsman out caught behind for just 18.

Alec Stewart joined Butcher at the wicket and the pair added seventy either side of the luncheon interval. Stewart was for the most part circumspect, content to rotate the strike whilst Butcher was at his belligerent best, cutting anything short and driving the all too frequent overpitched deliveries.

Streak was excellent, so proficient in helpful conditions and continually beating the bat. When he finally gave way to Sean Ervine, Butcher blazed three fours in an over to move to 99. A single down the ground off the bowling of Blignaut allowed him to move sweetly to three figures, but moments later the returning murk forced the players to seek refuge in the pavilion.

The afternoon conditions were as different as chalk and cheese. With the sun on their backs, the England batsmen flourished and the score began to mount. Heath Streak pegged back England once more with the total on 274, getting a ball to Alec Stewart (26) to rear somewhat. An edge, a straightforward catch by Tatenda Taibu and the fifth wicket was down.

With the new ball due and debutant Anthony McGrath at the wicket, Zimbabwe were potentially back in the hunt. Resolute defence from the Yorkshireman was called for, and he rose to the occasion. Butcher, meanwhile was progressing serenely onwards with a mixture of brute strength and exquisite timing.

Price whirled away manfully, keeping the scoring rate in check but with Streak by now flagging, England got away again. McGrath found his touch, plundering boundaries all round the wicket as the second ball disappeared to all parts. Butcher lofted Price for an enormous six over long on, but the left-arm orthodox spinner exacted his revenge courtesy of a remarkable diving catch at short midwicket by Mark Vermeulen. Butcher's fine innings of 137 left England sitting pretty on 342-6.

McGrath was joined at the wicket by Ashley Giles, himself no slouch with the bat as England sought to bat Zimbabwe out of the game. McGrath smashed three fours in an over and shortly afterwards progressed to an excellent half-century. Streak was unlucky not to pick up his fourth wicket, having Giles spilled by Vermeulen at slip shortly before tea.

The sunshine had all but disappeared after tea, and with the returning gloom the late movement which had been so apparent earlier in the day returned. With the total on 408, Sean Ervine struck twice in an over. First he clean bowled Anthony McGrath for a fine 69, and two balls later Steve Harmison trudged forlornly back to the pavilion, brilliantly picked up by the effervescent Dion Ebrahim.

Giles struck Ervine through the covers for four, then in his next eventful over the same bowler was smote for a huge six by Giles. A little controversy was added to the proceedings with the next delivery as Giles ducked into a high full toss, receiving a nasty blow on the elbow. Two balls later, Streak all but ran Giles out, the resultant overthrows turning a dicey single into a profitable five.

There was no point in declaring in the prevailing conditions since by now it was exceedingly dark and there was little prospect of the visitors being asked to take the field. Streak continued manfully, beating Hoggard outside the off stump almost at will. The Yorkshire paceman was in his element, frustrating all and sundry as he first pulled the edged Sean Ervine for successive boundaries.

Successive heaves brought Hoggard further boundaries from edges, one over the keeper and the second perilously close to leg stump, and the half-century partnership for the ninth wicket came courtesy of a neat clip by Giles to square leg. Fortune favoured Giles, too as he first edged a boundary and then nudged a single to go to his maiden test half-century.

Matthew Hoggard swatted a ball into the hands of Dion Ebrahim at point who appeared to take a fine, low catch. We were then subjected to the abhorrent situation where no-one took anyone's word for it, the batsman stood his ground, the square-leg umpire was unsighted and the third umpire was called upon to adjudicate. Confusion reigned as the scoreboard first indicated that the batsman was not out, then finally justice was served as the decision was reversed. Blignaut was the successful bowler and England were 465-9.

James Anderson opened his account in test match cricket with a crunching drive past bowler Heath Streak for a boundary, and on the first ball of the following over, Blignaut bagged his third victim when Giles attempted an extravagant drive and lost his leg stump in the process for a very fine 52.

England's total of 472 represented just reward for an exceptional batting display in mainly difficult conditions. For Zimbabwe, Streak was exemplary, finishing with 3-99 from 37 overs - figures which did not do him justice at all. Blignaut can consider himself fortunate to have picked up 3-96, but by and large the bowling was wayward as the total of no less than 61 extras bears out.

The sun broke through again as Dion Ebrahim faced Matthew Hoggard and opened his account with a neat flick to fine leg for a single. At the other end, Anderson started nervously, being smacked for three boundaries by Ebrahim in his wayward first over which cost a nightmarish 17 runs.

Hussain persevered with Anderson and the reward came in the young Lancastrian's third over as he nipped one back to clip the off stump and curtail Mark Vermeulen's first innings in test cricket in England for just a single.

Zimbabwe moved into the thirties courtesy of a brace of threes off the bowling of Hoggard as England persevered with attacking fields, but by and large the Yorkshireman had kept one end very tight. Anderson gave way to Steve Harmison and he almost picked up a wicket with his first ball which nipped back sharply over the top of middle stump.

Harmison beat Carlisle for pace on more than one occasion, but by and large the Zimbabweans were looking reasonably comfortable in the fading light, especially Ebrahim who was stroking the ball to the boundary quite beautifully. He was perilously close to being run out by Hussain when he set off for a cheeky single, but profited from the resultant overthrows which took him to 40.

Two balls later, bad light brought a slightly premature end to the day's play with Zimbabwe on 48-1.


Posted by Eddie