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Johnson blasts Zimbabwe with six wickets on debut
Chester-le-Street, England, June 07: Richard Johnson took six wickets on his Test debut to bowl Zimbabwe out for just 94 on day two at the Riverside.
Chester-le-Street, England, June 07: Richard Johnson took six wickets on his Test debut to bowl Zimbabwe out for just 94 on day two at the Riverside.
And by stumps the tourists were still 281 runs behind, 41-1 after being asked to follow on by England skipper Nasser Hussain.
First time around, the tourists fell victim to a record seven lbw dismissals in a Test innings, Johnson accounting for five of them with an accurate line and full length.
James Anderson claimed two victims before tea and Steve Harmison finished proceedings on his home ground, dismissing Andy Blignaut and Ray Price.
Tatenda Taibu top-scored with 34 to steer the tourists past their record Test low of 63, but they did not get much further.
Johnson`s joy was unconcealed when he had Mark Vermulen lbw with his third ball and then dismissed Stuart Carlisle in similar fashion, struck on the toe in front of off-stump.
Grant Flower survived the hat-trick ball but only lasted as far as the ninth over before edging Anderson to first slip.
Johnson gained three further leg-before decisions, dismissing Travis Friend and Heath Streak before tea and Taibu to finish with 6-33.
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It was Anderson who made the initial breakthrough when Zimbabwe batted again, Vermulen again failing to make a single run before he edged to gully in the first over.
Ashley Giles was England`s last man out in mid-afternoon, two short of his Test-best 52 set at Lord`s a fortnight ago, as England reached a challenging total despite some suffocating bowling.
Johnson made a pyrotechnic 24, including four fours and a six before he holed out to mid-on. But neither Alec Stewart nor Anthony McGrath managed anything like the same fluency.
Giles hit a second successive Test half-century Skipper Streak ended with 4-64, and spinner Ray Price also impressed as just 87 runs came from the morning session. Streak`s first seven-over spell yielded just two runs and he gained the wicket of Stewart after just 20 minutes of play.
The England veteran was lbw to a delivery that straightened on him having added just a single to his overnight 67. The sixth-wicket partnership of 149 equalled the record for any wicket in Tests between these opponents, shared by Stewart and Graeme Hick at Lord`s in 2000. McGrath survived the first hour to reach 81, but the pressure told when he was caught behind attempting a forcing shot at Blignaut.
Bureau Report
Ashley Giles was England`s last man out in mid-afternoon, two short of his Test-best 52 set at Lord`s a fortnight ago, as England reached a challenging total despite some suffocating bowling.
Johnson made a pyrotechnic 24, including four fours and a six before he holed out to mid-on. But neither Alec Stewart nor Anthony McGrath managed anything like the same fluency.
Giles hit a second successive Test half-century Skipper Streak ended with 4-64, and spinner Ray Price also impressed as just 87 runs came from the morning session. Streak`s first seven-over spell yielded just two runs and he gained the wicket of Stewart after just 20 minutes of play.
The England veteran was lbw to a delivery that straightened on him having added just a single to his overnight 67. The sixth-wicket partnership of 149 equalled the record for any wicket in Tests between these opponents, shared by Stewart and Graeme Hick at Lord`s in 2000. McGrath survived the first hour to reach 81, but the pressure told when he was caught behind attempting a forcing shot at Blignaut.
Bureau Report