Flower and Friend lift Zimbabwe

Andy Flower hit an unbeaten 89 to lift Zimbabwe after a middle-order slump on the second day of the tour opener against the Indian Board President's XI on Saturday.

The left-hander put on 110 for the sixth wicket with Travis Friend to help the tourists reach 292 for six after the home side declared their first innings at the overnight total of 361 for three wickets.

Flower struck 12 fours to revive Zimbabwe's fortunes after they had slid to 169 for five.

Earlier, openers Stuart Carlisle and Trevor Gripper had started cautiously against tight bowling by medium-pacers Ashish Nehra and Tinu Yohannan.

But the introduction of Sharandeep Singh yielded immediate results for the Indians as the Test off-spinner dismissed skipper Carlisle for 20.

Gripper, who made a circumspect 52, put on 75 with Gavin Rennie for the second wicket before Sharandeep removed him.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra tore out the middle order, removing Rennie (52), wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu (2) and Heath Streak (0) as three wickets fell for just four runs.

Mishra finished the day with three for 87 off 25 overs while Sharandeep returned figures of two for 68 from 32.

Flower and Friend rebuilt the innings before Yohannan struck late in the day by having Friend caught by a diving Gautam Gambhir at midwicket.

Former skipper Alistair Campbell was two not out at stumps.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to play two Tests and a five-match one-day series in India.

The first Test starts in Nagpur on Thursday.

Mail Cricket Editor