Gayle, Lara guide WI to victory

BULAWAYO: West Indies won the first One-Day International cricket match against Zimbabwe by 51 runs using the Lewis and Duckworth method, after persistent rain halted play during the 35th over of the Zimbabwian reply.

The Windies were spearheaded by an unbeaten 153 from opener Chris Gayle, his highest one day innings, as he carried his bat through the innings which closed at 347 for six wickets. Captain Brian Lara also lashed a century — 113 off 82 balls —his 18th in One-Day Inter-nationals, surpassing former West Indies opener Desmond Haynes in the process. Zimbabwe then reached 173 for three wickets when the rain came and ended the encounter. Gayle and his opening partner Wavell Hinds (28) posted a first wicket stand of 77 before Hinds edged to wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu.  This let in Lara and he tore into the Zimbabwe bowling as he moved from 50 to 100 in 24 balls before he was eventually run out going for a sharp single.

Vusimuzi Sibanda, playing in his first One-Day International scored a hard fought but at times entertaining half century as he and Trevor Gripper had an opening stand of 40 before Gripper was caught by Lara off the bowling of Gayle. One ball later Shivnarine Chanderpaul snared a low catch at slip to dismiss Mark Vermeulen, and this broke the back of the Zimbabwe innings, as rain loomed on the horizon and the home team faced the wrath of the Duckworth/Lewis system. Craig Wishart brought some respectability to the innings hitting 72, as debutante pacer Ravi Rampaul took some lashes before the rain eventually came.