Ireland 250 and 33 for 5 (Tucker 9*, Ngarava 4-12, Muzarabani 1-16) need 125 runs to beat Zimbabwe 210 and 197 (Myers 57, Williams 40, McBrine 4-38, Young 2-37, Adair 2-42)

Chivanga, batting at No. 10, was hit on the helmet, possibly with the ball bouncing off the shoulder from Barry McCarthy and had to retire hurt. He returned after passing a concussion test later, but Ireland continued to bounce him and he copped a couple more blows. Chivanga was the last man gone, caught off McBrine, and Zimbabwe folded for 197.

Zimbabwe’s last five partnerships earned only 46 runs, but the weight of those runs would show later as batting got even tougher when Ireland came to chase.

Ngarava was the hero with his four-over spell where one didn’t need to look at the speedometer to know he was bowling quick. The batters, too, played tentatively, as if they were always at risk of getting an outside edge.

The clouds gathered too, the pitch spiced up and Blessing Muzarabani joined in the act to get one ball to lift off in the first over. But nothing could have prepared for the hostile back-of-length deliveries from Ngarava that zipped off the pitch and popped off Peter Moor’s gloves to short leg.

Ngarava was rewarded even when he bowled short and wide as Curtis Campher cut straight to backward point. A snorter and a shooter didn’t dismiss Harry Tector, and the rest of the over gave the impression that every ball on this pitch could turn into a wicket-taking delivery.

Ireland were soon three down in 14 balls when Andy Balbirnie’s expansive drive off Muzarabani went to slip. Tector then had to walk back in frustration after being deemed caught behind off Ngarava, but perhaps felt he didn’t hit it. He couldn’t review either since DRS was not applied in this Test and the third umpire can only decide line calls.

Paul Stirling copped a few body blows too, and was eventually caught behind off Ngarava as he tried one shot too many. Tucker attacked a little, getting two fours away, to take Ireland into the thirties. But Zimbabwe could inflict further damage on Ireland, rain arrived again to have the final say.

Earlier, Zimbabwe batted for the majority of the day, with four of their top five getting starts. Of them, Masvaure was out caught behind, but like Tector later in the day, didn’t think he was out. The No. 3 Myers and No. 4 Craig Ervine then eased into their partnership of 34 but the captain fell before lunch, lbw off Mark Adair shouldering arms.

Williams, the No. 5, started confidently, picking up two boundaries off Campher, and built a slow but secure stand of 68 with Myers. Play continued amid a light but nagging drizzle that had McBrine search for grip and Young concede three boundaries in a 15-run over. Even though Young had Williams dismissed and Matthew Humphreys took his maiden Test wicket, Myers passed fifty and carried Zimbabwe’s lead towards 150. He was eventually out lbw for 57 trying to survive a shooter from Adair, and McBrine cleaned up the tail to leave a target of 158.

More to follow