BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, 14 September 2005 — Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu struck a dogged 61 to guide his side to 265 for seven at the close of the first day’s play in the first Test against India yesterday.
Taibu, whose eighth Test fifty included five fours and a six in 143 balls, shared an unbroken stand of 55 for the eighth wicket with Keith Dabengwa (35 not out) after the home side had been reduced to 210 for seven.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first, an innings of 56 on debut by opener Terrence Duffin taking them to 119 for two in the 42nd over. Left-arm new-ball bowler Irfan Pathan returned for a second spell to trap Duffin leg before wicket before dismissing Dion Ebrahim for 24 in his next over. Taibu and his experienced vice-captain Heath Streak, with 27, steadying the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 69 before leg spinner Anil Kumble regained control for India with two wickets in successive overs.
Streak enjoyed a life on 26 when Rahul Dravid put down a difficult, one-handed catch at slip off Kumble but the batsman lasted just eight more deliveries for one extra run before being removed by the same bowler-fielder combination.
The 22-year-old Charles Coventry, on debut, was adjudged leg before to a Kumble flipper for two and Zaheer trapped Andy Blignaut in front for four in the second over of his fourth spell as the home side slipped to 210 for seven.
However, Taibu and the left-handed Dabengwa steered Zimbabwe safely through to the close. Left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan ended the day with figures of three for 68 while Pathan took two for 50 and Kumble two for 71.
Earlier, the 23-year-old Duffin, called up to replace Stuart Carlisle after a contract dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket, patiently saw off the new ball before blossoming against the Indian spinners.
The left-hander struck eight boundaries in 130 balls before being removed, leg before wicket, by the impressive Pathan in the 13th over after lunch. Pathan then dismissed Ebrahim, caught and bowled, in his next over.
Zaheer made the initial breakthroughs for India to reduce Zimbabwe to 45 for two in the 14th over.
Opener Brendan Taylor, who scored 13, survived the first nine overs before edging Zaheer to short-leg where Gautam Gambhir held on to a sharp catch.
Hamilton Masakadza tried to wrest the initiative from India, his first three scoring shots impressive drives to the boundary.
He reached 14 when he tried to pull out of a hook shot against Zaheer and could only glove the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthick.
The Indian spinners bowled 57 of the 93 overs on a warm day in Bulawayo, 450 kilometers south-west of Harare, with the pitch already offering turn.
