Zimbabwe win first ever Test series
AFP
December 21 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.
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