Craig Ervine worked his way to a maiden double century, cashing in on the final day of a tepid game in Sharjah that predictably ended in a tame draw. For the first time in the history of Test cricket, there were 500-plus scores in three different team innings.
In the final session, Ervine edged past his career-best Test score, set way back in 2017, and marched along to convert it into his maiden Test double. It marked his first Test ton since 2024, which also came against the same opposition. Buried under an avalanche of runs, Afghanistan managed just two wickets the entire day: the first was captain Brian Bennett early in the morning, and then Antum Naqvi, who also helped himself to a maiden half-century.
The 140-run stand between Naqvi and Ervine kept Afghanistan at bay for the better part of two sessions. Against spin, Ervine brought out the sweep but was briefly in trouble when a top-edge off one hit his helmet, requiring a physio check. He also earned a couple of reprieves along the way: once the previous evening, and the second time when the lead had crossed 400, and Ervine was well on course for a double.
The evening’s entertainment was provided by Wessley Madhevere, Ervine’s final support act, before the players shook hands. On an extremely slow surface, called “very, very flat” by Afghanistan’s bowling coach Hamid Hassan, Madhevere rocked back to anything short, and used his feet well against spinners to crack his maiden Test century. He hit two fours and three sixes in a brisk knock; as soon as he had ticked off the milestone, the game was brought to a close. Ervine, “ecstatic” for himself and Madhevere, would later call it a “monkey off the back” of his unbeaten batting partner. The Zimbabwe No.7 thus became the seventh centurion of the game.
Ervine’s double ton came four overs before Madhevere’s ton; by then, the bowlers were merely going through the motions. Across both innings, Afghanistan’s bowlers sent down just over 256 overs.
The first of their two breakthroughs on the fifth day was provided by Saleem Safi, who cleaned up Bennett with extra pace. The collateral of the dismissal was slip fielder Rahmanullah, who was hit by a flying bail and had to be looked at by the physio. The second scalp went to Abdul Malik, who had Naqvi caught off a sweep. There was little celebration from the fielders, and understandably so.
Nearly 80 overs of toil followed, after which bowling coach Hasan admitted he was “hoping and praying” none of his seamers got injured bending their backs on the lifeless pitch. Fortunately, they didn’t.
