KEY POINTS
- Zimbabwe is the first team to score 500-plus in both innings of a Test.
- Craig Ervine hit an unbeaten 206 at age 41 in the drawn match.
- Afghanistan’s Zia-ur-Rehman conceded 343 runs, among the most in Test history.
Zimbabwe on Monday became the first team in Test history to score more than 500 runs in both innings of a match, drawing the first Test against Afghanistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates, Cricket Addictor reported.
After posting 504 in the first innings, Zimbabwe batted through the entire fifth day to reach 523 for 5 in the second, leaving Afghanistan no route to victory.
Ervine’s double century anchors Test history
Craig Ervine led the way with an unbeaten 206 off 279 balls, hitting 23 fours and two sixes. At 41 years and 82 days, he became the third-oldest player to score a Test double century, behind South Africa’s Eric Rowan and England’s Jack Hobbs.
Meanwhile, Wessly Madhevere finished unbeaten on 100, his maiden Test century. Together, he and Ervine added an unbroken 208 for the sixth wicket, Zimbabwe’s best Test partnership for that wicket. Debutant Antum Naqvi also chipped in with 61, sharing a 140-run stand with Ervine.
Earlier, captain Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor both scored centuries in the first innings, and the match produced seven hundreds in all, SportsTak reported.
Afghanistan spinner concedes 343 runs
However, it was a grueling match for Afghanistan’s bowlers. Spinner Zia-ur-Rehman became the first bowler in Test history to concede at least 150 runs in both innings, finishing with match figures of 4 for 343, the third-most expensive in Test history.
The second Test begins at the same venue on Nov. 13.
