Zimbabwe falter but maintain lead over West Indies

West Indies batsman Vaspert Drakes cuts a 
delivery past Zimbabwe wicket keeper Tatenda 
Taibu during his 31 run innings on the fourth 
day of the Test 7 November 2003 (AFP PHOTO)

Saturday, November 8, 2003

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AFP): Zimbabwe spin bowler Ray Price took career best figures of 6-73 in the first of two tests against West Indies Friday but the tourists were still able to avoid the follow-on that seemed quite possible as proceedings moved into a fifth day.

In reply to Zimbabwe's 507-9 declared, West Indies were able to respond with 335, leaving the home side with a commanding lead of 172. At the close, Zimbabwe were 94-4 in their second innings, an overall lead of 266 with six wickets in hand.

West Indies began the day on 241-6 with their first objective being to reach at least 308. This meant they had to make another 68 to deprive Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak of the option of sending them in again.

And they scraped past this target just before the lunch interval with only two more tail-end wickets left.

However, it was all probably academic because Streak would almost certainly have batted again in any case, as the wicket remains perfect for batting, and then consider a declaration perhaps on the final morning Saturday.

A more relaxed West Indies' last pair of Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards then proceeded to defy the Zimbabweans for some time after the lunch break, adding 26 more runs before Edwards became Price's sixth victim.

Zimbabwe's lead of 172 kept them firmly in command of the situation. But they lost four wickets in their second innings, the early ones being those of debutant Vusi Sibanda for 16 and Mark Vermeulen for just two. Vermeulen seemed utterly lost against Edwards.

With Trevor Gripper and Stuart Carlisle reduced to a defensive mode at the crease, a sudden rain squall swept across the Harare Sports Club ground, preventing play for 85 minutes.

At that stage Zimbabwe were 45-2, an overall lead at that stage of 217. When play resumed, Vasbert Drakes captured Carlisle and Gripper. These were setbacks but not greatly significant ones.

The rain delay, though not very long, could be decisive because it will force Streak to postpone his declaration Saturday, giving him less time for the slender prospect of bowling West Indies out for a second time.

Scoreboard at the close of play on the fourth day:

Zimbabwe 1st innings 507-9 declared

West Indies 1st innings (overnight 241-6)
C. Gayle lbw b Streak 14
W. Hinds c Blignaut b Mahwire 79
D. Ganga b Mahwire 73
B. Lara c Mahwire b Price 29
R. Sarwan lbw b Price 9
S. Chanderpaul lbw b Streak 36
R. Jacobs c Vermeulen b Price 5
V. Drakes c Streak b Price 31
J. Taylor c Wishart b Price 9
C. Collymore not out 11
F. Edwards c Matsikenyere b Price 18
Extras (b7, lb7, w3, nb4) 21
Total 335

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-127, 3-179, 4-211, 5-215, 6-240, 7-290, 8-294, 9-309 

Bowling: Blignaut 14-1-68-0 (3nb, 1w), Streak 28-9-74-2 (1nb), Mahwire 25-7-75-2 (1w), Price 37.2-13-73-6, Matsikenyeri 2-0-10-0, Gripper 8-1-21-0 (1w) 

Zimbabwe 2nd innings
V. Sibanda c Ganga b Collymore 16
T. Gripper lbw b Drakes 26
M. Vermeulen c Chanderpaul b Edwards 2
S. Carlisle lbw b Drakes 10
C. Wishart not out 25
S. Matsikenyere not out 1
Extras (8b, 6nb) 14
Total (for 4 wkts) 94

Fall: 1-21, 2-27, 3-60, 4-90

Bowling: Collymore 10-2-34-1 (3nb), Edwards 11-4-27-1 (3nb), Drakes 10.4-2-25-2

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