When the minnows came out to play

Zimbabwe v India, Harare, 1992

The build-up to Zimbabwe's inaugural Test did not quite measure up to Bangladesh's debut almost eight years later. The opponents were the same, however. India made a stop in Harare on their way to South Africa, and struggled. The ninth Test-playing nation certainly made a mark, its captain, Dave Houghton, scoring 121 on debut and the Flower brothers, the mainstays of Zimbabwe's batting in the years to follow, making half-centuries. The cricket wasn't the most exciting, with scoring rates of just over two for the most part and less than that in India's innings, but the visitors were given a scare. India were in trouble at 101 for 5 in response to 456, but Sanjay Manjrekar batted for close to nine hours for his grinding century, and was backed up by the tail to shut out the possibility of any upset. The game was also a significant one for offspinner John Traicos, who, having represented South Africa in his younger days, returned to Test cricket after 22 years at the age of 45, bowled 50 overs and grabbed a five-for