Debutant Pretorius, Brevis out cheaply after first-innings heroics
The excitement of a debutant’s first innings heroics was short-lived for Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis as they failed to replicate their impressive performances in the second innings of the Test match in Bulawayo on Wednesday. Pretorius, who scored a record-breaking 153 in the first innings, was bowled for four by Zimbabwe leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, while Brevis, who made 51 in the first innings, followed suit with a three-ball duck.
Masekesa, playing his second Test, had a memorable debut in Bangladesh earlier this year, where he picked up a five-for. He continued his impressive form, dismissing both Pretorius and Brevis to dent South Africa’s chances of taking control of the match.
The visitors, who had set up a strong foundation with their first innings total of 453, were struggling to make progress in the second innings. Pretorius, who had shown great temperament and technique in his maiden Test innings, was undone by a clever delivery from Masekesa. The leg-spinner bowled a delivery that turned sharply, catching Pretorius off guard and sending him back to the pavilion for four.
Brevis, who had looked promising in the first innings, was also unable to repeat his heroics. He faced just three balls in the second innings before being bowled by Masekesa without scoring. The young batsman had shown great promise in his first innings knock, but his dismissal for a duck left his team reeling.
South Africa’s struggles in the second innings were further compounded by the lack of application from some of their batsmen. Aiden Markram and Keegan Petersen, who had looked solid in the first innings, failed to convert their starts into big scores in the second innings. Markram was bowled for 24, while Petersen was dismissed for 17.
The visitors’ woes were further exacerbated by the fact that they had lost two of their top-order batsmen cheaply. The team’s captain, Temba Bavuma, was also struggling to come to terms with the Zimbabwean pacers, who were bowling with great discipline and accuracy.
At stumps on the second day, South Africa were struggling at 132 for seven, still 122 runs behind Zimbabwe’s first innings total. The visitors will need to regroup and show greater resilience if they are to avoid a defeat in the match.
Masekesa’s impressive form continued in the second innings, picking up four wickets to leave Zimbabwe on the verge of a famous victory. The leg-spinner has been one of the standout performers of the match, and his five-wicket haul in the first innings had given Zimbabwe a strong foundation to build on.
The hosts, who had been struggling to make an impact with the bat, were boosted by a fine knock from their captain, Regis Chakabva. Chakabva, who had scored a half-century in the first innings, added 44 in the second innings to help Zimbabwe take control of the match.
The visitors will need to regroup and show greater resilience if they are to avoid a defeat in the match. They will be relying on their experienced batsmen to come to the fore and take control of the game. The likes of Markram and Petersen will need to lead the way if South Africa are to avoid a defeat in the match.
In conclusion, while Pretorius and Brevis had shown great promise in their first innings heroics, they were unable to repeat their performances in the second innings. Masekesa’s impressive form continued, and Zimbabwe are now well-placed to secure a famous victory in the match.
