Zimbabwe win first ever Test series as final match abandoned
AFP
21 Dec 1998
FAISALABAD, Pakistan, Dec 21 (AFP) - A jubilant Zimbabwe won their first
ever Test series here Monday as the fog-hit third and final match against
Pakistan was abandoned on the fifth day.
Umpires called off the match after the first four days had been wiped out by
the fog.
Zimbabwe won the three-Test series 1-0 following their seven-wicket victory
in the first Test at Peshawar, their first ever Test win abroad. The second
Test at Lahore was also abandoned because of misty conditions.
The Faisalabad match was only the ninth Test abandoned without a ball being
played in 1,435 international cricket Tests.
``This is indeed something very unforgettable for us and people back home
must take it as a Christmas gift,'' Zimbabwe's captain Alistair Campbell said.
``Not many sides come to Pakistan with a hope to win. Our main goal was to
win a Test at least but I am glad that we have won the series.
``We don't want to sit on our laurels and will continue our good performances
in future,'' he vowed.
Zimbabwe now have three wins out of the 34 Tests they have played since
acquiring Test status in 1992. They have lost 15 Tests with the remaining 16
drawn.
Pakistan captain Moin Khan was disappointed over losing the opportunity to
square the series, which was the second the home side have lost in a row after
being beaten 1-0 by Australia in October.
``We had the upper hand in Lahore but bad weather came as an obstacle and the
same happened here in Faisalabad,'' he said, adding: ``I think credit goes to the
Zimbabwe team for winning their first ever Test series.''
Yousuf Yohanna was declared man of the series for Pakistan. He hit a fine 75
in the first Test in Peshawar and an unbeaten 120 in Lahore.
Pacer Henry Olonga was Zimbabwe's player of the series after getting nine
wickets in the series including a match-winning 42-4 in Peshawar.
Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton congratulated his side but added ``I feel a bit
hollow'' at the decisive role that bad weather played in the series.
``We have got better and better with each game and our next goal is to clear
the first round of the 1999 World Cup in England. I definitely feel we deserve
more recognition,'' he said.
He expressed surprise at the regular changes in the captaincy of the home
side, which have come amid public rancour between the Pakistani players and
selectors.
``Pakistan don't give us time to assess their captains. We have played
Pakistan 13 times and had six different captains.''
Pakistan now head for a contentious tour of arch-rivals India starting late
next month. Zimbabwe leave Pakistan on Tuesday and have a four-month break
before playing the World Cup in England.
Copyright 1998-2001 AFP. All rights reserved. All information displayed on
this page (dispatches, photographs, logos), with the exception of CricInfo
logos and trademarks, are protected by intellectual property rights owned
by Agence France Presse. As a consequence you may not copy, reproduce,
modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any
of the contents of this section without prior written consent of
Agence-France-Presse.
|