Richardson misses out on century

Mark Richardson, the New Zealand opening batsman, suffered a cruel piece of misfortune here yesterday when he was given out lbw for 99 just two balls before the close of the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe. He had batted all day and it would have been his maiden Test century.

Mark Richardson, the New Zealand opening batsman, suffered a cruel piece of misfortune here yesterday when he was given out lbw for 99 just two balls before the close of the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe. He had batted all day and it would have been his maiden Test century.

New Zealand were on 226 for 4 following Richardson's dismissal which then became the final delivery of the day. The wicket brought to an end a solid fourth-wicket partnership of 135 between Richardson and Nathan Astle. The left-handed Richardson was trapped by Zimbabwe's fast bowler Mluleki Nkala after batting for 378 minutes and facing 258 balls. Astle finished on 64 not out.

Until Nkala's breakthrough, the pair had not offered a chance on a pitch which held few terrors against an attack lacking penetration. There was relief in the home camp when the part-time left-arm spinner Grant Flower bowled 10 overs without being called for throwing by umpires David Shepherd and Ian Robinson. Darrell Hair adjudged Flower threw three deliveries during last week's first Test which New Zealand won by seven wickets.

New Zealand lost their first wicket in the third over when Craig Spearman fell for two after hooking at Henry Olonga but only managed to glove a catch to the wicketkeeper, Andy Flower. Mathew Sinclair then edged an in-swinger from Olonga to Stuart Carlisle at third slip to be out for 44 and end a second wicket stand of 64.

Stephen Fleming (9) was brilliantly caught at ankle height by Alistair Campbell at second slip off the medium pace of Mpumelelo Mbangwa.

First day; New Zealand won toss

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings

M H Richardson lbw b Nkala 99 C M Spearman c A Flower b Olonga 2 M S Sinclair c Carlisle b Olonga 44 *S P Fleming c Campbell b Mbangwa 9 N J Astle not out 64 Extras (lb1 nb5 w2) 8 Total (for 4, 89.4 overs) 226

Fall: 1-5 2-69 3-91 4-226.

To bat: C D McMillan, C L Cairns, ÿA C Parore, D J Nash, P J Wiseman, S B O'Connor.

Bowling: Olonga 17-5-59-2 (nb5 w1), Streak 16-1-40-0, Nkala 10.4-0-42-1, Mbangwa 15-5-33-1 (w1), P Strang 21-8-33-0, G Flower 10-5-18-0.

ZIMBABWE: G W Flower, G J Rennie, S V Carlisle, ÿA Flower, A D R Campbell, G J Whittall, *H H Streak, P A Strang, M L Nkala, M Mbangwa, H K Olonga.

Umpires: I D Robinson (Zim) and D R Shepherd (Eng).