Friday, March 29, 2024

Windies joy

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ROSEAU – Off-spinner Shane Shillingford claimed five for 59 and opener Chris Gayle followed with an unbeaten 61 as West Indies took control of the second cricket Test against Zimbabwe on day one at Windsor Park yesterday.
Shillingford’s third five-wicket haul in Tests helped to rout Zimbabwe for 175, with fellow off-spinner Marlon Samuels supporting well with three for 15. Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel began the demolition with two for 10.
Zimbabwe’s captain Brendan Taylor top-scored with 33 while opener Vusi Sibanda (32) and debutant Sean Williams (31) also failed to profit from good starts.
Gayle’s innings lifted West Indies to 114 for two in reply at stumps. The powerful left-hander forged an unbroken third-wicket stand of 79 with fellow Jamaican Samuels, who ended on 26 not out. Fast bowler Kyle Jarvis took two for 35 for the Zimbabweans.
Zimbabwe started the day brightly after being sent in by Darren Sammy once persistent drizzle cleared and play finally got going half an hour late.
Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo added 42 for the first wicket before Gabriel struck twice in his first two overs.
Mawoyo battled through 30 deliveries for eight before he misjudged an inswinger from Gabriel and had his off stump rattled as he played no stroke.
One run later Gabriel claimed the dangerous Sibanda, the right-hander gifting his wicket by driving a full toss hard and low to Kemar Roach at mid-on. Sibanda struck six boundaries.
Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza rebuilt briefly in a third-wicket stand of 21 before Shillingford, loudly acclaimed by a home crowd of a few thousand, made a breakthrough with his sixth delivery.
Masakadza compiled 14 off 35 balls before he played all around a doosra and was bowled.
Taylor countered the threat of Shillingford with some authentic sweep strokes but perished to a reverse sweep off the same bowler soon after lunch at 105 for four. Taylor hit five fours off 62 balls before he was bowled when the delivery deflected off his body.
Left-hander Craig Ervine and Williams provided some defiance in a fifth-wicket stand of 31 before Samuels broke through by claiming Ervine lbw to a straighter ball for 18.
Just before tea, Zimbabwe slumped further as Malcolm Waller (nine) holed out to deep midwicket off Shillingford and Samuels removed Graeme Cremer for a duck, Kieran Powell snaring a brilliant, low catch at short leg.
Zimbabwe’s last six wickets tumbled for 34 runs and the collapse was completed soon after tea.
Samuels ended an encouraging debut innings from Williams, who top-edged a sweep into his helmet and straight to short leg.
Shillingford, who earned the Man of the Match award for his nine wickets in the first Test victory in Barbados, completed his five-wicket haul by removing Prosper Utseya and last man Tendai Chatara, both lbw.
Gayle and opening partner Powell gave the hosts a rousing start to their reply before Jarvis struck twice in two overs to lift Zimbabwe’s hopes.
Powell, after striking five fours in 24 off 22 balls, deflected a yorker back onto his stumps, while Darren Bravo departed for his first “duck” in Test cricket, chasing a wide delivery and edging to the wicketkeeper.
But Gayle grew in confidence and he and Samuels pulled the Caribbean side from the uncertainty of 35 for two to within 61 runs of the visitors by the close. Gayle has hit nine fours and two sixes off 84 balls. (AP)

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