Zimbabwe v. West Indies - 1st. Test, Harare

[Donny]

Price took 3/39 (from 18 overs) and Mahwire, 2/60 to put Zimbabwe in a good position at stumps.

The Windies are 6/241. Ganga scored 73 and Chanderpaul is 19 n.o. The dismissals of Lara and Sarwan were disappointing, considering their team was chasing 507.

Lara had got off to a good start and here was a captain's innings begging to be played when he tried to hit Price for 6 with a fieldsman on the long on boundary. A younger batsman attempting this in that position would have been given a blast by his captain for being irresponsible.

Sarwan's was in a similar category. He's the vice captain and should have been gutsing it out. He played across the line and was trapped in front.

With 67 still needed to avoid the follow on, they must get their heads down or they're in big trouble.

[Donny]

Price makes life uneasy for West Indies

The Wisden Bulletin by John Ward

Zimbabwe enjoyed another day of surprises and success after a battling bowling performance, led by Ray Price, shattered the West Indian middle order and left them reeling at 241 for 6 by the close on the third day's play - and still needing 67 to avoid the follow-on.

Price took three late wickets to give Zimbabwe the edge and leave West Indies with a tricky morning session tomorrow which could decide which way the game will go. But the bowlers had to wait for a frustrating 90 minutes before play started due to a freak incident involving a heavy roller. It's not often that a hole in the pitch stops play, but that's what happened this morning.

As the wicket was being rolled before play, a practice ball got jammed right underneath the roller and left a deep indentation in the pitch at the City end. To make matters worse, it was just short of a good length outside the left-hander's off stump, and considering West Indies have five left-handers, they were understandably keen to make sure the problem was solved. An auger was borrowed from the neighbouring golf club to replace the small area of turf, and the umpires finally decided it would be possible to start play one and a half hours late.

When play did get underway, Heath Streak, eager for wickets, began with an attacking field and openers Chris Gayle and Hinds were quick to exploit the gaps, galloping along at almost a run-a-ball, mainly through well-placed ones and twos. Streak was surprisingly expensive for a while, but then settled down and found movement under the overcast skies, severely testing the batsmen.

Hinds scored the quicker of the two, alternating bursts of superb stroke-play with periods of solid defence. But after they had put on fifty, Gayle tried to turn a straight ball from Streak to leg and missed and was correctly given out lbw for 14 (50 for 1). Daren Ganga then immediately settled in with Hinds, who reached his fifty off 70 balls, and they brought up the hundred in the 25th over.

Hinds began to play with more aggression, attacking the bowling with gay abandon and smashing 14 fours. He had a century in his sights, but he became a little too reckless and miscued a pull off the accurate Blessing Mahwire to Andy Blignaut at mid-on for 79 (127 for 2).

Brian Lara, in his first Test innings against Zimbabwe, played forward firmly to his first ball from Mahwire and timed it so well that it beat the bowler and glided all the way to the boundary. Then followed a keen duel between Lara and Streak, in which Lara came out on top of. He played some handsome strokes, especially the flashing square-cut, but he then relaxed his concentration and tried to hit Price for a straight six, only for Mahwire to take a good running catch on the long-on boundary (179 for 3). The field then briefly resembled a scrum as the Zimbabwean players raced to celebrate with each other.

Ganga, meanwhile, was steadily growing in stature, and was his usual cautious self, providing the rock of the innings. He and Ramnaresh Sarwan consolidated for a while, and passed 200 without any troubles. But two quick wickets by Price swung the balance of the match dramatically.

First Sarwan played right across the line to a straight ball and was plumb lbw for 3 (211 for 4). Then Ganga, on 73, suffered a freak dismissal when he played a ball from Mahwire firmly down into the ground off the back foot, only for it to bounce up, hit his elbow and roll onto the stumps (215 for 5). Then Ridley Jacobs, who had not looked comfortable, especially against Price, was given out by Billy Bowden caught by Mark Vermeulen at bat-pad. The replay was not altogether convincing, but the ball appeared to kiss the face of the bat off the pad (240 for 6).

West Indies were suddenly feeling the heat, and shortly after Jacobs's wicket, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Vasbert Drakes eagerly accepted the offer of bad light and the day ended with Zimbabwe enjoying the unusual experience of being on top in a Test match.

[Donny]

After a rain delay, play gets underway.

Seems the only chance for a result here is if the Windies have to follow on and that's unlikely.

Chanderpaul and Drakes have negotiated the early overs with no dramas and added 12 runs.

[Donny]

Chanderpaul (36) and Drakes (31) both fell before 300 but Taylor and Collymore took the score past the follow on figure before Taylor went, on 309.

Price has 5/63 from 31 overs. A top effort.

Lunch.

[Donny]

All out 335. Price took 6/74 and Streak, 2/72.

Zimbabwe were 2/45 with Gripper 11 n.o. when rain stopped play. They lead by 217

[HAL]

I think there are a few exceptions.

[Donny]

At stumps, Zimbabwe were 4/94 with Wishart on 25 n.o. Drakes has 2/25.

The lead is 266.

[Donny]

Rain on Zimbabwe's parade

The Wisden Bulletin by John Ward

Weather permitting, there could be a good finish to the first Test at Harare tomorrow, after an absorbing if rain-affected fourth day's play. After taking a 172-run lead, Zimbabwe struggled in their second innings, but will still be aiming for a declaration before lunch on the final day before trying to bowl West Indies out a second time. The man of the fourth day was left-arm spinner Raymond Price, who took six wickets - a career-best - in West Indies' first innings.

Heath Streak had started the day under overcast skies with his spinners, Price and Trevor Gripper. Price was really the key man, as he had already troubled the batsmen the previous day. The pitch was certainly taking more spin than is usual here but, although Shivnarine Chanderpaul didn't bother to protect Vasbert Drakes, the batsmen survived easily enough. Streak eventually took the second new ball at 270 for 6 after 83 overs, and shared it with Blessing Mahwire, perhaps to sting the pride of Andy Blignaut who was unimpressive yesterday.

Streak, who was bowling very well, had a close lbw appeal against Drakes rejected by Simon Taufel. But the breakthrough finally came when Chanderpaul (36) moved too far across his stumps to Streak, overbalanced, and was struck by a full-length ball. This time Mr Taufel agreed that it would have hit the stumps (290 for 7).

Drakes upped a gear after the loss of his senior partner, but it didn't pay off - he drove uppishly at Price, sent a simple catch to mid-off and departed for 31. That made it 294 for 8 – a dozen runs still needed to avoid the follow-on, with only three genuine rabbits to do it.

Amid great tension, Jerome Taylor finally did the trick with a full-blooded mow against Price that shot past square leg and took the score to 309. Later in the same over he edged one to slip and departed for 9 (309 for 9). Lunch came shortly afterwards, with the last two batsmen still together. In all they survived for 51 minutes, either side of the interval, before Price finally had Fidel Edwards caught at mid-off for 19. Price ended up with 6 for 73, to improve his Test-best figures for the second match running.

Zimbabwe thus claimed a first-innings lead for the first time in 13 Tests, and a sizeable one too. Vusi Sibanda soon showed his talent, driving Edwards for two successive textbook fours past mid-off in the fourth over, but as so often lost his wicket after a good start. Actually he was a little unlucky, as it took a good sharp catch by Daren Ganga at square leg to send him packing for 16. Trevor Gripper hadn't managed to get off the mark at that point (21 for 1), and it was to take him 30 minutes to do so.

Worse was to follow for Zimbabwe, as Mark Vermeulen, who never looked comfortable, failed to get over a lifter from Edwards and edged a catch to third slip. He departed for 2 (27 for 2). Edwards and Corey Collymore had transformed from frustrating batsmen to dangerous bowlers, but nonetheless Zimbabwe were not batting with the confidence and purpose their strong match position deserved. Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the novelty of it all.

Shortly afterwards, rain drove the players from the field and an early tea was taken. On their return, 95 minutes later, the batsmen battled for survival against sharp bowling from Edwards and Drakes, who eventually removed Carlisle for 10, lbw to a sharp offcutter (60 for 3).

In came Craig Wishart, to make the game look easy with his meaty drives, played with time to spare. Seldom if ever has he looked so confident and purposeful in a Test, but that does not necessarily mean much, as he needs to convert good starts into major innings. He lost Gripper for 26 after a 137-minute innings, another trapped lbw by Drakes's offcutter (90 for 4).

Wishart continued to look almost majestic, purring to 25 not out from 34 balls, but the light was fading and he and Stuart Matsikenyeri eventually accepted the umpires' invitation to leave the field, with the lead an imposing 266. Much will depend on Wishart on the final day: perhaps he will finally play the major Test innings of which he is capable.

[Donny]

It's extremely sad, the amount of time lost in this Test.

We've had bad light at the end of each day, the 'ball rolled into wicket' incident and rain.

We could be looking at an exciting run chase on the last day being ruined by a bad light situation.

Can you imagine ?: The Windies need 25 runs to win and Zimbabwe need 2 wickets. There are 5 overs left and the umpies call it off for bad light.

Let's hope this isn't the case.

[Donny]

Wishart (34) was bowled by Drakes (3/46).

Matsikenyeri and Taibu are going along steadily at 5/152, a lead of 324.

Drakes just bowled Taibu (21) as well. Blignaut has been sent in 1 spot early presumably to get some quick runs before a declaration.

[Donny]

Collymore removed Bliggy before he could do much damage although he inspired Matsi to drive Drakes for a mighty six and tonk Sarwan over mid wicket for another.

Matsikenyeri is 44 n.o. and Zimbabwe are 7/193 and 365 ahead.

[HAL]

Do you like sports?

[Donny]

Zimbabwe have declared on 7/200, a lead of 372.

The Windies have 82 overs to get them. About 4.6 r.p.o.

[Donny]

After 6 overs, they are only 0/13 but may be just seeing off the new ball.

[couragous cloke]

this is going to be interesting... Lara, Do something special please.