Lara turns on the style

West Indies captain Brian Lara drives a delivery 
off Zimbabwe bowler Blessing Mahwire watched 
by wicket keeper Tatenda Taibu on the first day of 
the second Test in Bulawayo 12 November 2003
(AFP PHOTO)

Thursday, November 13, 2003

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, (AFP): Wavell Hinds and skipper Brian Lara took West Indies into a strong position on 282-3 in their first innings before Bulawayo's first rain for three weeks brought an early close to the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe on Wednesday. 

Hinds made 81 in rapid time with two sixes and a dozen fours before Lara hit an unbeaten 77.   At stumps, with only four and half hours play having been possible and just 63 overs, West Indies reached 282-3. 

Hinds, when in sight of his century, danced down the wicket and was stumped. But no such theatrics were employed by Lara. 

Chris Gayle made 47 in a return to form, Daren Ganga was subdued for his 23 and Ramnaresh Sarwan is determined to stay as long as possible with his captain.  He was 46 not out at the close having shared in a 121 fourth-wicket partnership with Lara.

Lara won the toss and decided to risk batting on a cracked wicket that was generally expected to be responsive to spin early on.  His main reason, it can be surmised, is that he did not fancy batting fourth on it. 

The Zimbabwe bowlers, three quicks and two spinners, toiled manfully in the face of so much skill and confidence, but were not fully rewarded for a generally good standard. 

It was all a very different scenario to that played out in Harare last week when Zimbabwe held the upper hand almost throughout and came close to winning. 

Zimbabwe decided not to change their team for this match.  West Indies switched Omar Banks in for Jerome Taylor and Vasbert Drakes had to give way to Mervyn Dillon. 

Scoreboard at close of play on the first day:

West Indies first innings
Chris Gayle c T. Taibu b A. Blignaut 47
Wavell Hinds st T. Taibu b R. Price 81
Daren Ganga c S. Matsikenyere b R. Price 23
Brian Lara not out 77
Ramnaresh Sarwan not out 46
Extras (1b, 2lb, 4nb, 1w) 8
Total (for 3 wkts) 282 

Fall: 1-73, 2-146, 3-161

Bowling: Andy Blignaut 11-2-50-1 (2nb), Heath Streak 16-3-55-00, Blessing Mahwire 10-3-52-0 (1w, 2nb), Ray Price 20-0-108-2, Trevor Gripper 3-0-14-0

Toss: West Indies
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA), Simon Taufel (AUS)
Match referee: Gundappa Vishvanath

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