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TOSSING IT UP. . .Zimbabwe’s Tendai Chisoro bowls during yesterday’s triangular ODI match against the West Indies at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. – AFP

Mehluli Sibanda in BULAWAYO
RAIN intervened in Zimbabwe’s favour as the home team defeated West Indies by five runs through the Duckworth/Lewis Method in the last triangular One Day International cricket series preliminary fixture at Queens Sports Club yesterday to help the Chevrons book a place in tomorrow’ final where they will face Sri Lanka. Having caused an hour stoppage during Zimbabwe’s innings which saw the match being reduced from 50 overs to a 49-over affair, West Indies were on 124 for the loss of five wickets in 27.3 overs when the umpires took the batsmen and the fielders off the field of play.

With play not possible until the cut off time, it worked in Zimbabwe’s favour and they will now clash with Sri Lanka in the final. It was Zimbabwe’s first victory over West Indies since 2010 when they won by two runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, the same year that they last reached the final of a triangular series where again they took on Sri Lanka.

An unbeaten fighting 76 runs by Sikandar Raza made sure that Zimbabwe, who looked like they would not get past 100 to a fairly decent 218 runs for eight in 49 overs.

Raza put on 91 runs from 77 balls with Tendai Chisoro who struck a career best 42 not out as Zimbabwe made 218 for eight in 49 overs. Man-of-the-match Chisoro went on to pick up two crucial early wickets to throttle the West Indies run chase.

Going into the last match of the series, Zimbabwe made one change, veteran Hamilton Masakadza coming in for Elton Chigumbura. West Indies dropped Sulieman Benn as well as Shannon Gabriel for Miguel Cummins and Devendra Bishoo.

Zimbabwe, just like they have done throughout the series had a poor start, one down with just 18 runs on the board in the fourth over, Chamunorwa Chibhabha in his 100th ODI bowled by Jason Holder for nine off 11, his leg and off stump dislodged.

Chari almost followed Chibhabha to the changing room only to be dropped on 11 by Powell off the bowling of Cummins. During the first 10 overs, Zimbabwe were on 45 for one with Chari on 12 runs and Masakadza on 18 at 4.5 run per over.

Rains forced the umpires Jeremiah Matibiri and Michael Gough to take the players off the field of play with Zimbabwe on 48 for one in 11 overs.

Play was stopped for an hour and when it resumed, Zimbabwe did not add any more runs before losing the wicket of Masakadza who was bowled by left spinner Bishoo for 20 off 31 deliveries.

Chari got stuck in until Bishoo took him out of his misery, the opener bowled for 19 from 45 deliveries. Zimbabwe were soon 63 for four, Craig Ervine trapped leg before wicket by Ashley Nurse for seven off 22 deliveries.

Sean Williams, playing in his 100th ODI, did not last long at the crease, out to the second ball he faced, Nurse with his second wicket, the catch taken behind by wicketkeeper Shai Hope.

Peter Moor struck a four and a six before he became Nurse’s third victim, bowled for 13 off balls, Zimbabwe six down for 86 runs. Graeme Cremer handed Bishoo his third wicket, the Zimbabwean captain played on to be bowled for just one run, the home team 89 for seven.

Raza and Donald Tiripano put on 38 runs for the eighth wicket, the second best partnership for Zimbabwe. Tiripano went for 15, becoming Holder’s second wicket, caught behind by Hope.

After facing up to 85 deliveries, Raza got to his sixth ODI half century with a single off Holder’s bowling. Chisoro gave the small but appreciative crowd something to cheer with a six off Holder.

The left hander struck Carlos Brathwaite’s second delivery for six. Nurse ended with an impressive three wickets for 27 in 10 overs, Bishoo also had three which came at the cost of 30 in 10 overs with one maiden.

Cremer made a bold move, opening the bowling with spinners. The move decision paid off with Chisoro picking up the wicket of Johnson Charles, caught and bowled for a first ball duck.

Chisoro struck again in second over, trapping Evin Lewis leg before wicket for nine runs, the tourists 12 for two in 2.5 overs. Another left arm spinner Williams almost had Hope for a duck with his edge not carrying to lone slip Masakadza.

With first ball of his third over, Williams got his man, Hope taken at slip by Masakadza for 14, the West Indies three down for 35. The game seemed to be slipping away from Zimbabwe with a 35-run fourth wicket partnership between Kraigg Brathwaite and Jonathan Carter.

Kraigg Brathwaite was run out for 24 going for a quick single, Ervine with a superb direct hit. Rovman Powell became Williams’ second wicket, taken at mid off by Ervine, the West Indies reduced to 93 for five. Williams picked up two wickets for 18 runs in seven overs with one maiden, Chisoro also took two for 23 in six overs with one over not costing a run.

Scores
Zimbabwe 218-8 49 overs (Raza 76*, Chisoro 42*, Nurse 3/27, Bishoo 3/30) beat

West Indies 124-5 27.3 overs (Carter 43*, K Brathwaite 24, Williams 2/18, Chisoro 2/23) by five runs through the Duckworth/Lewis Method