Richard Ngarava took four Ireland top-order wickets as Zimbabwe hit back in dramatic style to take charge of a one-off Test in Belfast on Saturday.
Zimbabwe started the third day on 12-0 but were dismissed for 197 in their second innings, with Ireland off-spinner Andy McBrine taking 4-38.
That left Ireland with a victory target of 158 but their leading batsmen proved powerless to resist 26-year-old left-arm paceman Ngarava, who had the superb stumps figures of 4-12 from four overs, with the hosts 33-5 at the close and still needing a further 125 runs to win.
Zimbabwe had almost erased a first-innings deficit of 40 runs when Joylord Gumbie was caught in the slips off Craig Young.
Three balls later, Barry McCarthy had Prince Masvaure, the other Zimbabwe opener, caught behind before Craig Ervine was lbw to Mark Adair.
But a stand of 68 between Sean Williams and Dion Myers, who top-scored in the innings with 57, helped turn the tide before Williams was out for 40.
McBrine cleaned up the tail to leave Ireland with a seemingly modest target and more than two days in which to get the runs.
Ngarava had other ideas, however, as he took two wickets in two balls to dismiss Peter Moor and Curtis Campher.
New-ball partner Blessing Muzarabani then got in on the act by removing Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie.
Ngarava continued the collapse, with Harry Tector (nought) and Paul Stirling (10) both caught behind by wicketkeeper Clive Madande before rain cut short the day’s play.
Brief scores, close on Day 3: Zimbabwe 210 (P Masvaure 74, J Gumbie 49; A McBrine 3-37, B McCarthy 3-42) and 197 (D Myers 57, S Williams 40; A McBrine 4-38) v Ireland 250 (P Moor 79; T Chivanga 3-39, B Muzarabani 3-53) and 33-5 (R Ngarava 4-12)
Match position: Ireland need a further 125 runs to reach a victory target of 158 with five wickets standing
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