Ireland – 250 and 33-5 in 8 overs (Paul Stirling 10, Lorcan Tucker 9*, Andy McBrine 4*; Richard Ngarava 4//12, Blessing Muzarabani 1/16)

Day 3 – Stumps: Ireland need 125 runs

A brilliant four-over spell of hostile fast bowling from Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava on Saturday virtually turned this Test match at Belfast on its head as he reduced Ireland, set only 158 runs to win, to 33 for five wickets by the close of play on the third day.

Earlier, a partnership of 68 for the fourth wicket between Dion Myers and Sean Williams was virtually the only bright spot in another disappointing innings for the tourists.

Together with some bad luck, they were bowled out for 197 in their second innings, leaving Ireland to score 158, the smallest total of the match, to win.

Zimbabwe resumed on this the third morning at 12 for no wicket in their second innings.

Their opening batters, Joylord Gumbie and Prince Masvaure, continued to do a good job for a while, taking their partnership to 38 before Gumbie was caught at slip off Craig Young for 24.

Immediately afterwards, Masvaure (12) was given out caught at the wicket from a ball that seemed to have hit his pocket rather than his bat.

Then Craig Ervine was dismissed for seven, lbw to a ball from Mark Adair that appeared to be going over the stumps and Zimbabwe were now 66 for three.

There followed the fine partnership between Myers and Williams that took the score to 134 before Williams, on 40 off 65 balls, fished at a ball from Young outside his off stump and edged a catch to the keeper.

Brian Bennett was soon out for 10, while Clive Madande went for a big hit and skied a catch for 10 – 174 for six.

At the same score, Myers’ fine innings came to an end for 57, perishing to a delivery from Adair that shot through fast and low off the pitch and had him lbw with little chance of adjusting his stroke.

Myers had played a fine, well-judged innings off 142 balls with four fours.

Inevitably the Zimbabwe tail had little to add to the score, although Ngarava reached double figures (11) before he appeared to be unfortunate to be given out caught at the wicket.

The total was 197, 13 less than they had scored in their first innings, and Ireland were left with 158 to win.

Ngarava gave them a shock in his first over, as with successive deliveries he dismissed PJ Moor, caught by Gumbie at short leg fending off a bouncer, and Curtis Campher, caught by Williams at backward point from a cut.

In the next over Ireland were reduced to six for three wickets, as Andy Balbirnie (4) edged a ball from Blessing Muzarabani to be caught by Masvaure in the slips.

With the score 16, Harry Tector, trying to drive Ngarava, was given out caught at the wicket, though he appeared certain that he hit only the ground.

In the same over Paul Stirling was the fifth to go, caught at the wicket for 10 as he tried to drive Ngarava, who claimed his fourth wicket with the score on 21.

Lorcan Tucker tried to hit his way out of trouble, taking successive fours off Muzarabani, while Andy McBrine also hit a boundary.

But at this point, with the score on 33 for five wickets after eight overs, rain began to fall, the players left the field and did not resume.

Ireland’s top five batters have all come and gone, and Ngarava has figures of four wickets for 12 runs.

Nothing can be taken for granted, but Zimbabwe are remarkably now favourites to win the match on the fourth day. ZimCricket