Pakistan 21-1 at lunch after conceding 78-run lead

HARARE: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal finished with 7-95 Thursday but Zimbabwe took a 78-run first innings lead on the third day of the first test.

Zimbabwe also got an early breakthrough in the second innings as Pakistan reached 21-1 at lunch with Mohammad Hafeez batting on 16 and Azhar Ali on zero.

Hafeez played positively early on, hitting pace bowler Tendai Chatara for four fours, but other new-ball bowler Tinashe Panyangara got Zimbabwe a wicket as he trapped Khurram Mansoor leg-before wicket for five.

Earlier, Zimbabwe, 281-7 overnight, scored 46 runs for a total of 327 in reply to Pakistan's first innings score of 249.

Overnight batsman Elton Chigumbura did most of the good work for the home side as he scored 29 runs before being dismissed for 69 by Ajmal.

Chigumbura continued to bat confidently Thursday, striking a total of nine fours during his third half-century in 10 tests. He was finally dismissed by Ajmal, caught by Azhar Ali at short leg off bat and pad.

Ajmal, who had four wickets on the second day, took all three remaining wickets to finish with his eighth five-wicket haul in 27 tests. (AP)