Friend offers needed boost for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's coach, Geoff Marsh, rued his side's indiscipline with the ball as Middlesex piled up 330 for 5 on the first day of the tourists' match at Shenley yesterday.

Gifted a wicket off the second ball of the day, when the Middlesex captain, Andrew Strauss, tickled down the leg-side, Zimbabwe could not rfespond, instead reproducing their form of the Lord's Test last week when they were beaten by an innings and 92 runs

"It was a tough day. It is a very good wicket and outfield and we tended to bowl too short and too wide," Marsh said. "But the pleasing thing is the way Travis Friend came back and bowled well in his second spell this afternoon."

All-rounder Friend ended the 148-run stand for the second wicket between Weston, playing his maiden first-class match of the summer, and Owais Shah when the latter spooned a pull to square leg.