Zimbabwe tie up series (22 December 1998)

22 December 1998

Zimbabwe tie up series

By Qamar Ahmed in Faisalabad

ZIMBABWE have won their first Test series after the decisive third and final Test against Pakistan at Faisalabad was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of fog.

Their 1-0 win came as a result of their seven-wicket win at Peshawar in the first Test, which also happened to be their first win overseas in a Test. The second Test at Lahore was drawn after nearly 13 hours had been lost to bad weather.

Dave Houghton, coach of the jubilant Zimbabweans, said: "This has been a team effort, but I feel a bit hollow because of bad weather in the series, which indeed helped our success."

Zimbabwe have now won three of their 34 Tests since gaining Test status in 1992-3. Their first win was also against Pakistan in February 1995, when they had an innings and 61 runs win at Harare. In October this year they beat India in a one-off Test at Harare by 64 runs.

The medium-pacer Henry Olonga was Zimbabwe's player of the series for his nine wickets, which included four for 42 at Peshawar.

Yousaf Youhanna was named as Pakistan's man of the series for his 75 in the first Test and his maiden hundred in the second.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)