Cricket: Fleming steers shaky NZ to 100-3

Captain Stephen Fleming was batting New Zealand out of trouble as their cricket tour of Zimbabwe staggered into gear today.


Having been sent in to bat in the first test in Harare, New Zealand lost early wickets to be 100 for three off 28 overs at lunch.


Fleming, fresh from English county cricket for Nottinghamshire, was unbeaten on 38 at the interval with Nathan Astle on 19 as the pair added an unbroken stand of 37.


The opening stanzas hardly proved the one-sided romp expected after Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu won the toss on an easy paced pitch.


Paceman Blessing Mahwire was an unlikely destroyer, removing openers Lou Vincent and James Marshall in the space of three balls to have the tourists reeling at 24 for two in the eighth over.


Vincent scored 224 batting in the middle order in his previous test against Sri Lanka in April, but was brilliantly caught in the gully by Stuart Carlisle for 13.


Two balls later Mahwire found the edge of James Marshall's bat to have him caught behind for five.


Mahwire had previously taken six wickets from seven tests at an average of 82.2, but he and former captain Heath Streak caused early problems with their outswingers to the tentative opening pair.


Fleming was into stride quickly, with consecutive boundaries through the off side off Streak.


He then helped take 15 off the first two overs bowled by teenager Chris Mpofu who made a nervous start.


Hamish Marshall breezed to 20 off 25 balls but was fooled by Mpofu who trapped him leg before wicket with a full delivery to make it 63 for three.


Fleming and Astle consolidated before the lunch break, with the only anxious moment coming when Fleming edged Mpofu between Taibu and first slip for four, two overs before lunch.


The captain had faced 64 deliveries and hit eight boundaries at the break.


New Zealand left out one-day specialist Kyle Mills from their squad of 12, meaning paceman Shane Bond was named for his first test in more than two years.


Left-handed opening batsman Neil Ferreira made his test debut for Zimbabwe.


- NZPA