Sean Williams' Brilliant 145 Guides Zimbabwe to Strong 363/4 on Day 1 Against Afghanistan*
Sean Williams’ magnificent unbeaten 145* powered Zimbabwe to a commanding 363/4 at the close of Day 1 in the first Test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo. Along with a dynamic 68 from debutant Ben Curran and a solid 56* from Craig Ervine, Zimbabwe dominated the day, scoring at nearly 4.3 runs per over to put Afghanistan on the backfoot.
Opting to bat first, Zimbabwe made a quick start, with the openers adding 43 runs in the first 10 overs. Curran led the charge, striking boundaries with ease, but was dismissed for 68 off 74 balls just before lunch, leaving Zimbabwe at 92/2. Takudzwanashe Kaitano (46) contributed with a steady knock before being dismissed, but Williams took charge after the break, striking boundaries and sixes to maintain a healthy run rate.
A solid partnership between Williams and Dion Myers (39) took Zimbabwe past 200 before tea. Williams continued his assault in the final session, hitting a six and reaching his century with a couple off Zahir Khan. His partnership with Ervine, which crossed 100, further built Zimbabwe's dominance.
A controversial moment saw Williams given out caught behind after attempting a reverse sweep, but a no-ball from the bowler and the ball’s bounce being missed by the umpire saw Williams return to the crease. Despite Afghanistan’s best efforts, Zimbabwe's fifth-wicket partnership took the score past 350, with bad light bringing an early end to the day, with five overs still to play.
