Daijiworld Media Network - Sharjah

Sharjah, Nov 10: Zimbabwe veterans Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine scripted remarkable milestones in Test cricket during the first Test against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with Taylor becoming the second-oldest player to win a Player of the Match award in men's Tests and Ervine registering a record-breaking double century.

Taylor, aged 40 years and 272 days, earned the Player of the Match award after scoring 131 and 82 in the two innings of the drawn Test. He became the second-oldest player to receive the honour in men's Test cricket, behind former England captain Graham Gooch.

Batting at No. 3, Taylor faced 168 deliveries and struck 14 fours and four sixes in his first-innings knock of 131, helping Zimbabwe post a formidable 504 in 134.3 overs. He followed it up with 82 off 88 balls in the second innings, hitting 11 fours and two sixes.

Gooch remains the oldest player to win a Player of the Match award in men's Test cricket. He was 40 years and 314 days old when he scored 210 against New Zealand in Nottingham in 1994.

Taylor is followed on the list by Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq, who was 40 years and 155 days old when he received the award against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014. West Indies greats Clive Lloyd and Shivnarine Chanderpaul complete the top five.

Meanwhile, Ervine produced an unbeaten 206 off 279 balls in Zimbabwe's second innings, becoming the third-oldest player to score a double century in Test cricket. The 41-year-old struck 23 fours and two sixes in his memorable innings.

South Africa's Eric Rowan holds the record as the oldest player to score a Test double century. He was 42 years and six days old when he made 236 against England in 1951. England great Jack Hobbs is second, having scored 211 against South Africa at the age of 41 years and 195 days in 1924.

Ervine's effort also made him the oldest batter to score a Test century for Zimbabwe and the fifth player from the country to register a double century in the format.

Zimbabwe's highest individual Test score remains Dave Houghton's 266 against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo in 1994. Andy Flower is second with an unbeaten 232 against India in Nagpur in 2000, followed by Ervine's 206 not out against Afghanistan. Guy Whittall and Grant Flower complete the top five with unbeaten scores of 203 and 201 respectively.

Andy Flower was the last Zimbabwean batter before Ervine to score a double century in a Test innings, with his unbeaten 232 against India in Nagpur in November 2000.

The performances by Taylor and Ervine underlined the contribution of Zimbabwe's experienced campaigners in a Test that produced several memorable individual milestones.