Muzarabani’s first runs came from a boundary off his 28th delivery of the day. South Africa surprisingly managed to reach 15/1 after 10 overs. Matthew Breetzke (13 off 45) and David Bedingham (zero off three) were both dismissed after nicks outside the off stump line, with Chivanga breathing fire from one end. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who made his Test debut at No. 5, was already in before the 15th over.

South Africa finished Day 1 of the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo with 418/9 after 90 overs. The hosts enjoyed complete control of proceedings for the entire of the day, but the Proteas held hard and finished up in a rather solid position given how things had started.

Zimbabwe started off slowly with the new ball. South Africa only managed to score three runs from the opening five overs. All of Blessing Muzarabani’s first three overs were maidens. Wellington Masakadza’s left-arm spin from the end appeared to be effective. Tony de Zorzi’s laboured fight at the crease came to an end when he edged Tanaka Chivanga’s delivery for a 16-ball duck.

The 19-year-old got going quickly. His first six and four in international cricket came from successive deliveries in the very next over after he arrived in the middle. Wiaan Mulder hit his first boundary on his 45th ball with a deliberate stroke down the ground. Mulder (17 off 47) was run out in the next over as a result of a complete miscommunication.

By the time lunch arrived, Pretorious had reached 44. He survived a chance shortly before the half when an inside-edge was on its way to the wicketkeeper. The Zimbabweans were very confident in their plea. However, the lack of DRS in the series allowed the youngster to get away with it.

Dewald Brevis, another Test rookie, scored his maiden six in the format in the second over of the session. It was the same over in which the ball had to be replaced due to the maximum, and Pretorius had previously scored his first fifty on debut. Brevis reached fifty in style, slamming three sixes off leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa’s sixth over.

The additional bounce of Muzarabani was enough to send Brevis (51 off 41) back to the pavilion, where he reached his milestone. Masekesa, on the other hand, continued to receive a thrashing. After six overs, his stats were 0/62. A brilliant catch at first slip sent Kyle Verreynne (10 off 16) back, giving Zimbabwe their sixth wicket.

Pretorius scored his century on the first ball of the 50th over. With that, he became his nation’s youngest centurion. Coming in at number five, he had over half of the Proteas’ runs by the time he reached his century. Corbin Bosch managed to hang out with him till Tea was seized. Only time will tell if the hosts could bowl South Africa out in the third session.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius appeared to have maintained all of his momentum following the break.

He extended his boundary total, briefly raising his bat for 150 after the tea break. Chivanga eventually took his fourth wicket, this time off a left-hander. Pretorious departed for 153 off 160, with his side on the verge of reaching 300 runs.

Bosch reached fifty with his sixth four. Keshav Maharaj, the skipper, looked good while playing in the middle. However, he fell for 21 off 30 to assist Masekesa make his first breakthrough in his tenth over. Codi Yusuf, another debutant, walked out. He finally got off the mark with the 18th delivery, a trickle to third man for three.

Codi hit his first three boundaries in consecutive overs. He left for an exceedingly useful 27 off 49 after adding two more fours to his tally, bringing an end to a 59-run partnership for the tenth wicket. Kwena Maphaka successfully blocked the final three balls of the 86th over, bringing Bosch back on strike for a potential first hundred.

With his ninth four of the innings, the 30-year-old had reached the nineties. South Africa quickly reached their team limit of 400. Bosch reached a well-deserved tonne after being dropped in what was best described as a half-chance. It was also his first in First-Class cricket. Maphaka finished the first day on a high note, scoring a maximum over deep square-leg on the penultimate ball.