Blessing Muzarabani Shines with Historic Bowling Figures in Chevrons’ Test Against Ireland

07 February 2025

Makhosethu Ndlovu

Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani delivered a stellar performance at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo during the Chevrons’ Test match against Ireland, taking 7/58 in 18 overs.

Muzarabani made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean pace bowler to claim seven wickets in a Test match, achieving the second-best bowling figures for Zimbabwe after Paul Strang’s 8/109 in 2002. Richard Ngarava took 2 wickets, while Trevor Gwandu claimed 1, as Ireland were bowled out for 260 in 56.4 overs.

Muzarabani expressed that he felt good about the achievement, and stated that the team needs to work on certain things.

“It feels good, really good. We were pushing for those ten wickets as a team, so Im thrilled we got there. Test cricket is a battle day in and day out. Today was a strong day for us, but we know the job is not done. We have four more days to go, and we need to keep playing our best cricket because things can turn around quickly,” said Muzarabani.

In a pre-match interview, Chevrons captain Craig Ervine expressed confidence that the team would improve as they play more Test matches, which would contribute to their overall development.

“It is really exciting to have this Test against Ireland, and even more so to know we have several more Tests coming up. This is a real opportunity for us to improve. We will be facing a variety of conditions, each with its own challenges. A lot of the guys have played cricket, but have not yet experienced Test cricket. It is obviously very different. There is so much more preparation and a wider range of skills involved. That is definitely an area we can work on,” said Ervine Craig.

Meanwhile, Ervine was absent from yesterday’s game due to a family emergency, with Jonathan Campbell stepping in as captain.