Ireland 260 and 83 for 1 (Balbirnie 32*, Moor 30, Ngarava 1-25) lead Zimbabwe 267 (Welch 90, Muzarabani 47, McCarthy 4-75, McBrine 3-59) by 76 runs
Ireland and Zimbabwe continued to exchange upper hands yet again in Bulawayo but it was the visitors who were better placed at the end of the day. Barry McCarthy's versatility combined with Andy McBrine's consistency provided them with the hope of capturing a substantial lead.
Blessing Muzarabani's inspired 67-run stand for the tenth wicket with Trevor Gwandu took Zimbabwe from a position of danger into the comforts of a hard-fought if slender lead. But it was a sign of the pitch easing out, something Ireland's top order took advantage of.
Peter Moor, who used to play for Zimbabwe, dispatched Muzarabani, who didn't bowl consistent lines, as Ireland raced to 42 for 0 in seven overs. Richard Ngarava got one to angle away to ensure Moor's good work ended on 33, but his partner, Andy Balbirnie, joined Curtis Campher to ensure Ireland went to stumps without further damage.
The signs were ominous for the bowlers on Friday as there was more brown than green on the Bulawayo pitch. And it took Welch just one over to reinforce that feeling as he smashed a full ball from Mark Adair over mid-off.
McCarthy adapted to the challenge in front of him and toyed with his lengths, lines and release points to reap useful reward. He found seam movement to trap Takudzwanashe Kaitano lbw in the third over of the day. Zimbabwe's batters used the crease to meddle with the bowlers' lines. That didn't matter to McCarthy who nipped one past Brian Bennett's inside edge and hit the stumps.
Welch, too, had a close call early on as he was cut in half by McCarthy. He marched through, otherwise, to a 78-ball fifty, much to the delight of his dad in the stands.
Wessly Madhevere, who got off to a quick start, hit one of the three sixes in the innings. It came off McBrine's bowling but the offspinner had the last laugh, with some help from Lorcan Tucker who took a rebound catch - off square leg - to restrict him to 26. Zimbabwe were 143 for 4. Each of the partnerships for the first four wickets crossed 20. None of them, batting the opening stand, got past fifty.
McBrine struck again to have Johnathan Campbell three balls later. It was a soft dismissal as the Zimbabwe captain, also on Test debut, punched a wide-ish ball to cover point.
Nyasha Mayavo, the other debutant, hit a confident pull shot for six and a slashy drive for four on either side of tea. But an attempt at another big hit - a sweep off McBrine - trapped him lbw. McCarthy sent back Newman Nyamhuri for a golden duck as Zimbabwe slipped to 172 for 7.
All the while, Welch was happy to play unhurriedly and that continued in the eighth-wicket stand with Ngarava. Welch faced 41 of the 59 balls as the duo put on 20. Chances were created when Ngarava looked for some quick runs. He got away with a chipped drive off an Adair slower ball in the 59th over, but holed out to mid-off, trying to do the same, in the 61st.
Welch pumped Humphreys down the ground to get to 90 and retained strike for the next over. He got decent connection on the pull against Adair but was dismissed by a spectacular running catch by Harry Tector across the outfield at deep midwicket. Zimbabwe were 200 for 9, 60 runs behind, with Nos. 10 and 11 at the crease.
Muzarabani hit two boundaries off McCarthy as the duo batted calmly against the old ball… for nearly 20 overs. The spin of McBrine and Humphreys gave away 23 runs between overs 67 and 80, but the batters were now more comfortable.
Ireland took the new ball and Muzarabani hit Adair for two fours, one on either side of the wicket, in the 83rd over as Zimbabwe finished the second session just three runs in the deficit.
Muzarabani took his team into the lead by pulling Craig Young in the 86th over, but with a maiden Test fifty in sight, he was knocked over trying to slog Humphreys across the line, and Zimbabwe were bowled out for 267.
Zimbabwe's strike bowler batting for long may have been a blessing in disguise, pardon the pun, for Ireland as he batted for 97 minutes late in the afternoon before taking the new ball.
Moor's intent was clear from the very first ball, which he spanked through cover for four. He had a close call with a length ball, which kept low and was at the stumps but managed to stab it into the ground.
The absence of swing led Zimbabwe to shorter lengths but that suited Moor and Balbirnie, who unfurled some excellent back-foot shots. The placid nature of the pitch was on show even after Moor's dismissal as an outside edge induced by Ngarava, off Balbirnie in the 12th over, landed well in front of second slip.
Gwandu, who was taken down earlier in the Test match, was more threatening here. In the 15th over, he had Balbirnie edge one in the cordon but the wicketkeeper Mayavo couldn't collect. Other than that, Ireland cruised through to stumps with a healthy 76-run lead.
