Windies battle for draw

Zimbabwe's bowler Raymond Price (R) celebrates his 
dismissal (bowled) of West Indies batsman Daren Ganga 
for16 runs during the fifth day of the test match
(AFP PHOTO STR)

Sunday, November 9, 2003

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AFP): Ridley Jacobs and Fidel Edwards were the West Indies' unlikely heroes as they stood firm to deny Zimbabwe a famous win on the final day of the first Test on Saturday.

Chasing what would have been only their eighth Test win in 12 years, Zimbabwe were held up by the tail-enders in an extraordinary final session in the gathering gloom as the Caribbean side, set 373 to win finished on 207-9.

"All credit to Zimbabwe, they played much better than us," said West Indies skipper Brian Lara.

With the entire team fielding at close quarters, Jacobs and last man Edwards frustrated Heath Streak's victory dream and they were left with the meagre boost of having ended a sequence of 11 Test defeats.

The final day began with Zimbabwe holding an overall lead of 266. 

They already had a 172 runs advantage on first innings, to which they added another 94-4 before the close of the fourth day.

Heath declared half an hour before lunch on the final day, leaving West Indies 373 for victory from 83 maximum overs at a rate of 4.5 an over.

It was a challenge West Indies were not able to accept after Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle were dismissed with the score on 37-2.

Lara made just one run when he was given out leg before to a ball from Streak that appeared to be clearly missing off stump.

He did not play a shot and up went umpire Billy Bowden's finger.

From that point the West Indies batsmen were surrounded by Zimbabwe fielders, who crept close and closer in their determination to capture all their wickets before the sun disappeared.

Left-arm spinner Ray Price, who captured six wickets in West Indies' first innings, spearheaded the attack and he captured another four while, at the other end, Andy Blignaut was building up a head of steam, recording 95 mph for one delivery.

Defiance came in large measure from Ramnaresh Sarwan, 39, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 39 and Ridley Jacobs, whose 61 was perhaps his finest innings in the circumstances he faced.

But Vasbert Drakes did not last and Jacobs was left with Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards for company.

The second and final Test starts in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

Scoreboard at the end of the fifth and final day:

Zimbabwe first innings 507-9 dec (Heath Streak 127no, Andy Blignaut 91, Tatenda Taibu 83, Fidel Edwards 5-133).

West Indies first innings 335 (Wavell Hinds 79, Daren Ganga 73, Ray Price 6-73)

Zimbabwe second innings
V. Sibanda c D. Ganga b C. Collymore 16
T. Gripper lbw b V. Drakes 26
M. Vermeulen c S. Chanderpaul b F. Edwards 2
S. Carlisle lbw b Drakes 10
C. Wishart b V. Drakes 34
S. Matsikenyere not out 46
T. Taibu b V. Drakes 21
A. Blignaut c Ridley Jacobs b C. Collymore 13
H. Streak not out 7
Extras (8b, 2lb, 13nb, 2w) 25
Total (for 7 wkts dec) 200

Fall: 1-21, 2-27, 3-60, 4-90, 5-107, 6-152, 7-177

Bowling: C. Collymore 15-2-59-2 (5nb), F. Edwards 16-5-52-1 (7nb, 2w), V. Drakes 20-2-68-4 (1nb), R. Sarwan 1-0-12-0.

West Indies second innings
W. Hinds c S. Carlisle b H. Streak 24
C. Gayle c T. Taibu b R. Price 13
D. Ganga b R. Price 16
B. Lara lbw b H. Streak 1
R. Sarwan st T. Taibu b T. Gripper 39
S. Chanderpaul c Sibanda b Price 39
R. Jacobs not out 60
V. Drakes c Taibu b Blignaut 4
J. Taylor c Matsikenyeri b Blignaut 3
C. Collymore c Vermeulen b Price 1
F. Edwards not out 1
Extras (b1, lb1, w1, nb3) 6
Total (for 9 wkts, 83 overs) 207

Fall: 1-37, 2-37, 3-38, 4-73, 5-103, 6-171, 7-184, 8-194, 9-204 

Bowling: Streak 15-7-28-2, Blignaut 14-2-50-2, Price 38-11-88-4, Mahwire 2-0-10-0, Gripper 12-5-23-1, Matsikenyeri 2-0-6-0

Result: Match Drawn
Series: Two Test series level 0-0
Toss: Zimbabwe
Umpires: B. Bowden (NZL) and S. Taufel (AUS)
TV Umpire: K. Barbour
Match Referee: G. Viswanath (Ind)
Man of the Match: Heath Streak

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