BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (Reuters) – Afghanistan lost three wickets early in their second innings and were 46-3, still trailing Zimbabwe by 40 runs, when bad light brought an early close to play on Friday at the end of the second day of the second test at Queens Sports Club.
Zimbabwe quick bowler Blessing Muzarabani removed openers Abdul Malik and debutant Riaz Hassan cheaply in the last session to give his side the advantage, before captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was clean bowled by Sikandar Raza for 13 runs.
Zimbabwe were earlier dismissed for 243, giving them an 86-run advantage over Afghanistan, who were put into bat at the start of the test and then bowled out for 157.
Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine top scored with 75 after featuring in two profitable partnerships with Sikandar (61) and Sean Williams, who made 49.
Rashid Khan, who missed the first test took, 4-94.
The strip used for the second test at the Queens Sports Club contrasted starkly with the wicket for the first test at the same venue.
The first test ended in a tame draw on Monday with Zimbabwe scoring a record 586 in their first innings and Afghanistan also amassing their highest test total of 699 in reply.
The five days of the first test saw only 24 wickets fall but the second test has already seen 23 dismissals in the first two days.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
