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West Indies batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite plays a shot while Zimbabwean wicket-keeper Regis Chakabva and close fielder Craig Ervine monitor the situation on the second day of the first cricket Test at Queens Sports Club yesterday. — Picture by Khumbulani Mpofu

From Mehluli Sibanda in BULAWAYO
AFTER a wonderful bowling display on the opening day, Zimbabwe went on to put up a pathetic show with the bat to hand the advantage back to the West Indies on Day Two of the first cricket Test at Queens Sports Club yesterday.

Zimbabwe, who bowled West Indies out 219, crumbled under pressure from West Indies leg spinner Devendra Bishoo’s bowling to be bundled out for 159 in 61.3 overs in their first innings. At the close of play last night, West Indies were on 88 for one in 33 overs, a lead of 148 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Bishoo took five wickets for 79 in 24 overs, his fourth five wicket haul in Test cricket with Zimbabwe losing their last eight wickets for just 68 runs, opener Hamilton Masakadza the highest run scorer with 42 runs.

Zimbabwe’s batting coach, Lance Klusener expressed his disappointment with the way the batsmen lost their wickets as it was not the way the team had planned to approach their innings.

“There were way too many soft dismissals, the boys are upset with themselves, it wasn’t what we spoke about, it wasn’t how wanted to play. We have got a second bite of the cherry, it’s not easy to bat out there but we are disappointed in the way we played,’’ Klusener said.

Resuming from an overnight score of 19 for no loss, Zimbabwe lost a wicket in the seventh over of the day, Solomon Mire’s maiden Test innings brought to an end by Kemar Roach, undone by a slower delivery by the seamer who had him taken at deep mid-wicket by Kraigg Brathwaite. Mire went for 27 off 36, an innings made up of four fours and one six.

Masakadza fell before the lunch break, getting an edge off a Bishoo delivery to be taken behind by Shane Dowrich to leave Zimbabwe two down for 91 in the 27th over. Brendan Taylor’s return to international cricket only lasted nine minutes during which he faced up to seven balls and scored one run, Bishoo getting him brilliantly caught by Jermaine Blackwood.

A poor shot accounted for Sean Williams in the second over after lunch, the left hander playing a lazy stroke off a Roach delivery to be taken behind by Dowrich to find his way back to the dressing for seven. Sikandar Raza followed for six off 25, playing an unnecessary shot to become Bishoo’s third wicket, Shannon Gabriel with the catch at long off.

Ervine persisted for 39 off 89 deliveries prior to becoming Bishoo’s fourth victim, trapped in front to leave Zimbabwe wobbling at 133 for six. Malcolm Waller made 11 before Jason Holder had his middle stump uprooted. Bishoo had his fifth wicket in easy fashion, Regis Chakabva caught by Roston Chase. Skipper Graeme Cremer dragged a delivery from his opposite number Holder onto his own stumps to be bowled for an 11-ball duck.

Christopher Mpofu gave the crowd some entertainment with a spirited effort worth 10 runs before he got an outside edge off Shannon Gabriel’s bowling into the safe hands of Dowrich.

Cremer found the breakthrough with the third ball of his first over when he bowled Kieran Powell for 17 but that was the only success for Zimbabwe as Brathwaite and Kyle Hope ensured that there no further wicket losses for the visitors with an unbeaten 63 run partnership for the second wicket.

The match goes into day three this morning with the visitors looking for further stretch their lead while for the home team, they can only that their bowlers apply the brakes and give them a reachable second innings target.

West Indies 219 (Hope 90*, Powell 56, Cremer 4/64, Williams 3/20) and 88-1 (Braithwaite 38*, K Hope 32*, Cremer 1/36) lead Zimbabwe 159 (Masakadza 42, Ervine 39, Bishoo 5/79, Roach 2/22, Holder 2/25) by 148 runs