Sean Williams' 145* takes Zimbabwe to pole position at 363 for 4

Sean Williams scored his fifth Test hundred, a half-century on debut by Ben Curran, and a fifty by Craig Ervine put Zimbabwe in a good position at the end of Day 1 of the first Test against Afghanistan in Bulawayo. Williams struck an unbeaten 145 off 161 balls and was involved in three fifty-plus stands, including an unbroken 143-run partnership with Ervine, to help the hosts end the day at 363 for 4.

Zimbabwe opted to bat and got off to a quick start with the openers adding 43 inside 10 overs. Curran scored the bulk of the runs in the partnership before Naveed Zadran struck to have Joylord Gumbie caught behind for 9. A 49-run stand between Curran and Takudzwanashe Kaitano ensued, with Curran again being the dominant batter. But just before Lunch, Curran fell to a carrom ball from Ghazanfar, bowled for a 74-ball 68, to leave Zimbabwe at 92/2.

Kaitano was playing a watchful knock but Zimbabwe managed to maintain a good scoring rate thanks to Williams, who struck the first ball after the break from Ghazanfar for a boundary and even pulled the spinner for a six. Kaitano also struck a maximum, slog-sweeping Hashmatullah Shahidi over the midwicket fence, but he fell four short of a fifty as he got out to Zahir, ending a 78-run association. Dion Myers then joined Williams and both batters continued to score boundaries regularly, with the latter getting to fifty off 58 balls. Zimbabwe crossed 200 before Tea, with 112 runs coming in the second session in 26.3 overs, for the loss of only one wicket.

Williams started off the final session with a six off Zahir in the first over after Tea but a few overs later, Myers got a leading edge back to Ghazanfar, ending a partnership worth 50. But the wicket was only a fleeting breather for Afghanistan as another good partnership followed. Williams and Craig Ervine built on to the total steadily, with Williams entering the 80s with a six over long-on off Abdul Malik. Williams moved to 99 with a four off Zahir before bringing up his century with a couple. The partnership crossed 100 and Ervine got to fifty soon after.

Williams was given out caught at first slip after he attempted a reverse sweep off Zahir, and the umpire also didn't spot that the ball had bounced before reaching the fielder. However, the bowler had also overstepped, and Williams returned to the crease. The second new ball didn't bring any respite for Afghanistan as Zimbabwe's fifth wicket pair took the score past 350. To add to the visiting side's woes, Naveed put down Ervine off his own bowling before bad light forced the close of play with five overs still left in the day.