Zimbabwe make solid start

Zimbabwe held the upper hand after the first day of the second Test against South Africa on Friday despite losing two wickets shortly before the close.

When bad light ended play 40 minutes early, Zimbabwe were 154 for two after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Zimbabwe owed their position to an opening partnership of 152 shared by Alistair Campbell and Dion Ebrahim. Campbell scored 77 off 243 balls and eight fours, while Ebrahim's 71 came off 258 balls and included seven fours.

They were dismissed in the space of five overs when Campbell was caught by Herschelle Gibbs at point off a Lance Klusener off-cutter. Ebrahim was captured at slip by Shaun Pollock from the bowling of left-arm spinner Claude Henderson.

The stand was the first century partnership for the first wicket by Zimbabwe since Gavin Rennie and Grant Flower put on 144 against New Zealand in 1997-98.

South Africa came close to separating the first wicket pair when, with the total at 130, Ebrahim, on 59, flicked an off-cutter from Klusener to backward square leg, where Gibbs dropped a simple catch.

Campbell edged a delivery from fast bowler Pollock just short of Jacques Kallis in the gully on 44, and offered another half-chance in similar fashion on 59, again off Pollock but this time short of Klusener at slip.

Ebrahim also frustrated the South Africans when, on 29, he squeezed a ball from Henderson on to his pad, only for the catch to drop short of Gary Kirsten at short-leg.

The pitch provided early encouragement for the bowlers, with Ebrahim beaten by both Pollock and Andre Nel with deliveries that seamed back into the right hander.

But few deliveries deviated off the seam from the second hour and South African captain Pollock acknowledged as much by gradually opting for more defensive field settings and by resorting to Henderson as early as the 20th over.

The South African attack has been weakened by a back strain to all-rounder Kallis, who did not bowl on Friday. Team manager Goolam Rajah said Kallis had been selected as a batsman but could bowl a bit if required.

South Africa bowled tightly but with little penetration on a docile batting pitch and Pollock did not take the new ball when it became available 6.1 overs before the early close. Klusener, who has operated from both ends, has been the tightest of all in taking one for 31 in 22.1 overs.

Both teams observed a minute's silence before the start of play and took the field wearing black armbands in memory of the victims of Tuesday's terror attacks in the United States.

South Africa lead the two-match series 1-0.

Mail Cricket Editor