Cricket: First test moves at snail's pace

7:00 AM

BULAWAYO - Zimbabwe crawled to 185 for four off 102 overs on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand.

But while Zimbabwe showed little enterprise on a docile pitch the New Zealand seam attack failed to make the batsmen play often enough.

Spinners Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman were the most effective bowlers. Off-spinner Wiseman finished the day with the figures of two for 50 off 25 overs and left-armer Vettori took one for 35 off 31 overs.

Vettori, who was introduced into the attack as early as the 16th over, obtained consistent turn and bounce.

Opening bowlers Chris Cairns and Shayne O'Connor returned the flattering figures of nought for two off six overs and nought for eight off seven, but largely wasted the new ball.

All of the Zimbabwe batsmen reached double figures but none managed a significant score and of those dismissed only Grant Flower fell to a wicket-taking delivery.

He was was caught behind by wicketkeeper Adam Parore for 24 off a ball from Vettori which turned sharply and bounced.

Gavin Rennie drove uppishly at a ball from Wiseman to be caught at short extra cover by Craig McMillan for 24, Stuart Carlisle scored 38 before top-edging a Wiseman delivery to Matthew Horne at cover and Andy Flower edged Cairns to Nathan Astle at second slip when he had made 29.

Zimbabwe vice-captain Guy Whittall withdrew pulled out of the team over a selection issue.

"As a result of a misunderstanding regarding the selection of the team for the first test Whittall made himself unavailable for the match," the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) said in a statement.

The statement added that the chief executive of the ZCU, Dave Ellman-Brown, would travel to Bulawayo on Wednesday "to clarify the situation".

Whittall, who declined to comment, is believed to have withdrawn when fast bowler David Mutendera was given a place in the side at the expense of Craig Wishart after Mutendera was originally named 12th man.

- REUTERS