Zimbabwe 210 & 197 lead Ireland 250 & 33-5 by 125 runs
Richard Ngarava took four wickets and ripped through Ireland’s top order late in the day to put Zimbabwe in the driving seat heading into day four of the one-off Test in Belfast.
Zimbabwe started the day on 12 for none but Ireland took regular wickets including four from spinner Andy McBrine, who swept through the tail as the visitors slipped to 197 all out, leaving Ireland 158 to claim victory.
The home side were in total control as they headed out to bat in the final innings but their top order completely fell apart early on as Ngarava claimed four wickets inside eight overs, leaving Ireland 125 runs from home with just five wickets in the bag heading into a decisive day four.
Trailing the hosts by 40 heading into the second innings, Joylord Gumbie and Prince Masvaure came within two runs of cancelling out the lead before the former was forced into the drive and nicked Craig Young into the grasp of Andrew Balbirnie in the slips.
One wicket turned into two three balls later, this time Masvaure was in disbelief to be walking off as he seemed to send an inside edge into the gloves of Lorcan Tucker which may have nicked off the back leg but no reviews meant the opener had to walk.
Craig Ervine was trapped leg before wicket by Mark Adair but a partnership between Sean Williams and Dion Myers began to form and took Zimbabwe into lunch at 96 for three.
Their partnership of 68 was broken when Williams edged Young into Tucker and Zimbabwe were 174 for six when Brian Bennett and Clive Madande departed cheaply.
Myers top-scored with 57 but Adair sent him walking back to the pavilion with his second lbw of the day before Blessing Muzarabani fell before tea with Zimbabwe 182 for eight.
Ireland wasted no time picking up the wickets after tea as Ngarava and Tanaka Chivanga were cleaned up by McBrine, leaving Ireland 158 to win.
Ireland had victory in sight with a low total to chase but a top-order collapse put them on the back foot.
Ngarava started ferociously, claiming two wickets in two balls to send Peter Moor and Curtis Campher packing with six runs on the board.
There was no let up for the Irish in the following over when Muzarabani claimed Balbirnie to further worsen the situation.
Ngarava had his tail up and the Irish wickets continued to fall as Harry Tector edged behind for no score before Paul Stirling (10) fell in carbon copy fashion and Ireland had 33 on the board before the rain started to fall.
