Rahkeem Cornwall picked up a career-best seven wickets as Afghanistan squandered a sound start to be dismissed for 187 on the first day of the inaugural Test at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, reports Cricinfo.
On a turning track, the most difficult delivery to negotiate is the one that goes straight, and the newest entrants to Test cricket found it first-hand as Cornwall ran through the opposition.
Three of those wickets came off the balls that spun little, while one turned significantly less than what the batsman expected as Cornwall showed great control over line and length during a 21-over spell, interrupted only by the lunch break.
Afghanistan lost six wickets for 27 runs and slipped to 111 for 7 despite being 84 for 1 at one stage. Wicketkeeper-batsman Afsar Zazai and debutant Amir Hamza added 54 for the eighth wicket before Cornwall struck again, dismissing Zazai on the last ball before tea and then picking up the final wicket after the interval. The collapse was triggered by Jomel Warrican, though. Having added 56 for the second wicket with Ihsanullah, Javed Ahmadi holed out to long-off off the left-arm spinner.
After that, Cornwall was all over the opposition. In the last over before lunch, Ihsanullah tried to defend one from the offspinner but the ball kept straight and Shai Hope pouched the edge at first slip.
After the break, Rahmat Shah fell to a sharp offbreak with Jason Holder taking his second catch at leg slip.
Nasir Jamal, the other debutant, looked to work one on the leg side but the ball went with the arm and Hope pouched it at first slip.
Lack of turn and extra bounce did Asghar Afghan in who edged a cut to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich for Cornwall's maiden five-for.
Holder got rid of Rashid Khan from the other end before Zazai and Hamza staged a brief recovery. The West Indies captain once again turned to Cornwall for the breakthrough and the offspinner didn't disappoint.
Zazai shouldered arms to the one he expected to spin down the leg side only to be trapped in front of the stumps, for 32.
Hamza and Yamin Ahmadzai added 22 for the ninth wicket but the last two wickets fell on the same score as Afghanistan could last only 30 minutes into the final session, and 68.3 overs in all.
