WI gain lead, but suffer setback

BULAWAYO: West Indies gained a first innings lead of 104 over Zimbabwe, but were set back by the early loss of Chris Gayle and the weather in the second and final cricket Test yesterday. When bad light and rain stopped cricket 18 overs early at the Queens Sports Club, West Indies were 13 for one in the second innings, after they bowled Zimbabwe out for 377 in their first innings.

Gayle was adjudged leg before wicket to Heath Streak, the Zimbabwe captain, by a sharply in-swinging delivery for a duck with the first ball of the West Indies second innings. Only three overs were possible though. Umpires Rudi Koertzen and Simon Taufel offered light to Wavell Hinds, not out on five, and Daren Ganga, not out on eight, and when the players retreated to the changing rooms, light showers ensured they did not return. Gayle’s wicket was indicative of Zimbabwe’s never-say-die attitude throughout the brief series. It was further exemplified by Mark Vermeulen’s maiden Test hundred, 118 off 304 balls spread over seven hours with 14 fours and one six and the stubborn batting of the last wicket pair of Raymond Price and Blessing Mahwire.

Vermeulen had been reduced to a hobble and required a runner the previous evening when he inside-edged a rising delivery from Mervyn Dillon into his left knee. He had batted through the pain to see Zimbabwe through to the close at 173 for three and returned to anchor the innings. When he was eighth out, giving the perseverant Omari Banks the first of his two wickets for 106 runs from 41.1 overs and Andy Blignaut became the last Corey Collymore’s four wickets for 70 runs from 24 overs, West Indies might have expected a quick cessation to the Zimbabwe innings. After all, the Zimbabweans were 336 for nine and Price and Mahwire had never shown any pretensions for batting. The two however, punished West Indies for their misplaced assertions and added a ground record 41 for the last wicket to extend their side innings well past tea.

Vermeulen and Craig Wishart had led the Zimbabwe fightback before the close on the second day. Wishart was within reach of his second Test hundred on 96 when he was adjudged leg before wicket to Collymore in the second over of the day. He batted three hours, faced 144 balls and struck 14 fours and two sixes. By now, Collymore, who had struggled with length and line in the previous Test and on Thursday, was fully wound up and the ball was coming out of his hand with telling effect. Stuart Matsikenyeri found out the hard way when he played down the wrong line and was bowled off-stump for eight in the day’s 11th over. Zimbabwe were 201 for five, but West Indies had to wait until the first ball after lunch to claim the next wicket.

Vermeulen and Zimbabwe vice-captain Tatenda Taibu carried their team through to lunch on 279 for five. By then, Vermeulen had completed his century, when he fortuitously top-edged a hook at a short delivery from Dillon over the keeper Ridley Jacobs’ head for four. After the interval, Collymore came back for his second spell. Taibu, playing forward to a well-pitched out-swinger, was caught low at second slip for 27. This proved to be an unstable period for Zimbabwe. Five overs later, Streak, a century-maker in the first Test, was leg before wicket to Dillon for three, and Vermeulen was caught at forward short leg to leave Zimbabwe 302 for eight. Blignaut showing restraint hit 31 before being adjudged to LBW Collymore leaving Price, with 35, and Mahwire, with a Test-best eight, to frustrate West Indies even further.