When last have you been to Bulawayo?A friend asked me the question fans have been asking Test cricket since the last time either of us was there five years ago, in 2011. So long ago that we were warned that we would face the land that time forgot. Frankly, I couldnt wait.Like any second city, Bulawayo has had to endure its fair share of shadow-occupancy to its bigger brother Harare, and its smaller but more beautiful sibling, Victoria Falls. Its famous for being the birthplace of royalty - not just the kings the city is named after - but Charlene, Princess of Monaco, and its connections to other notables such as writers Doris Lessing and NoViolet Bulawayo, Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry, footballers Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari, and cricketers Graeme Hick and Heath Streak. Apart from its people, Bulawayo is a sepia photograph filled with memories. For some, those memories include the last time big cricket came to town.Since Zimbabwes 2011 Test matches against New Zealand and Pakistan, Queens Sports Club has hosted 17 ODIs and four T20Is, which does not sound too bad. But in a place where pause seems to be the default setting, theres a thirst for Test cricket. Finally, it has arrived, and everything from the airport to the Queens clubhouse seems to be quietly celebrating.Joshua Nkomo International Airport has an upgraded terminal to replace the tin shed that welcomed us five years ago. Then, there was one boarding gate, and rudimentary immigration and passport control services. Now, it gleams of newness and the queues to the counters snake around a small room.On Tuesday morning, it had to accommodate Makhaya Ntini, who was returning from CSAs 25-years anniversary dinner, on the 10:40 flight from Johannesburg, along with several members of the television production company, who were only confirmed at the last minute, and umpire Michael Gough, who arrived in Johannesburg from Newcastle on Monday night. Gough will stand in his first (and second) Tests in Bulawayo, and might be quietly expecting it to be an easing in to officiating at the highest level.Two hours later, Ntini was in his kit at Queens Sports Club, throwing balls. Lance Klusener was already there. At some point, Klusener got into an unusually animated discussion with Ntini, gesturing several times towards the square. There, Fungai Shanganya, Zimbabwe Crickets head groundsman, who regularly prepares surfaces for international cricket in Harare, is in his hometown of Bulawayo to get not one, but two Test pitches ready. Hes done this before, in Harare in 2013, when back-to-back matches were played against Bangladesh, so he knows how to handle a quick turnaround.In the middle of the lush outfield, he is preparing the right-most surface from the main grandstand and one in the middle. No one is quite sure which one will be used first. Theyll be exactly the same, so chances are well just decide on the day, someone joked.Far more important decisions await Zimbabwe, though, as they enter their first home Tests in almost two years, depleted of their most important bowling resources. Both Tinashe Panyangara and Tendai Chatara have been ruled out due to injuries.Brian Vitori, who returned from having his action declared illegal, remodeled and then cleared, in last weeks match against South Africa A, is hanging around. Vitori looks fitter and fresher than ever, but is unsure if he is ready to play at the highest level. I am getting there, slowly, slowly, I am getting there he says.If he isnt quite there yet, Michael Chinouya might be. In all the years I have come across him, he still hasnt learned to crack a smile, which is completely unlike John Nyumbu. Ever ready for a joke, Nyumbu greets the media with the reality that there will be, no dancing this time, when wickets fall because he is also not in the squad. Hamilton Masakadza, who comes to call the stragglers for a meeting, is unlikely to be persuaded to dance, but he is more than likely to stop for a chat and he does.A few meters away, in the presidents suite, two men are putting up a flatscreen television for the VIPs directly above the area where they will look out from. Behind them are an odd collection of trophies - one from an ODI between Zimbabwe and Pakistan in 1998, another from the 1991 Currie Cup - and a photograph of a cap-wearing Peter Pollock, jumping up to defend a ball delivered by Doug Walters at Newlands in 1970. Of all the places in the world to find a picture of that, Queens Sports Club would not have been my guess.To the left of that, in a corporate box, with a luxurious wooden bar top, the seats have not been upholstered in years and the foam from the head rests and seats is peeping through the peeling black covers. Downstairs, a man is washing the window sills, wiping away any dust that may have collected there. Another is watering the grass beneath the open stands. None of them needs do anything to the main embankment. It is as inviting as ever. The trees are the same height as they have always been. The dappled sunlight shines through them, creating golden drops on the grass. Maybe, it will be full at some point over the next two weeks. Maybe.But, maybe not. There are several posters advertising the tickets prices for the two Tests - US$3 for the grandstand and US$2 for anywhere else in the ground. With a severe cash shortage in the country, who knows if people have any to spare. The emptiness of the Queens Sports Bar suggests not. At around 5pm, there is only a small group of people seated inside. They are watching highlights of the recently completed England-Pakistan Test. Time may have forgotten this place, but cricket has not. Pink Hydro Flask 20 Oz . 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Alex Lozowski guided a depleted Saracens side to a superb 13-28 triumph over Sale Sharks to move back to the top of the Aviva Premiership table.Lozowski kicked 13 points and tries from Marcelo Bosch, Matt Gallagher and Ben Spencer paved the way for victory at the AJ Bell Stadium.Josh Beaumont crossed for Sales only try, which had sent them ahead in the first half, but they could only muster another eight points from fly-half AJ MacGinitys boot.The last time Saracens visited Manchester they ended up 17-0 behind after just 16 minutes, but this time the champions came out on the front foot.Mark McCalls men were also helped by Sales indiscipline and an infringement allowed Lozowski to kick over an early penalty.Since joining from Wasps in the summer, the fly-half has been hugely impressive and the England squad member showed another element to his repertoire, superbly chipping in behind the defence and recollecting.With the hosts rearguard in disarray Saracens should have scored, but the ball was knocked on and the Sharks managed to survive.That profligacy was the confidence boost Steve Diamonds side needed and 10 minutes later they made their first significant incursion into opposition territory.MacGinty made the break, handing off Lozowski and sprinting 30 metres, and although he was halted into touch by Paolo Odogwu, the pressure continued to mount and Sale eventually touched down via Beaumonts close-range effort.Saracens responded and put together an excellent attack of their own which eventually resulted in Bosch going over. It started on halfway as the Londoners showed outstanding patience to keep hold of possession and go through the phases.dddddddddddd The ubiquitous Schalk Burger was heavily involved throughout, carrying and off-loading several times during the move, before Schalk Brits supplied the scoring pass to the Argentine centre.The visiting pivot converted and also added a penalty on the stroke of half-time as Saracens went into the break 13-7 ahead.That buffer soon increased in the second period as the Sharks effectively gifted the visitors a try. A botched lineout landed in the grateful arms of Brits and the hooker scampered clear. It still had to be finished but, with most of the hosts backline committed up field, simple hands by Lozowski and Brad Barritt sent Gallagher across the whitewash.The respective kickers then traded three-pointers before Halani Aulika was yellow carded for Sale after stupidly aiming a punch at Jim Hamilton.To their credit, the Manchester outfit handled the sin-bin period well and even reduced the arrears via the boot of MacGinty.They were handed a further boost when Michael Rhodes was sin-binned for a high tackle, but they could not take advantage and Saracens completed the win with seven minutes remaining.Once again, Lozowski was the catalyst after he brilliantly weaved his way past several defenders and off-loaded to Spencer. The scrum-half had plenty to do but he finished with aplomb, displaying searing pace to score. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Discount Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2019 ' ' '