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WI v Zim 2nd Test : Day 4

Sunday, November 16 2003

It was a great day for the bowlers at Bulawayo, as the hosts Zimbabwe finished just one wicket away from defeat. Chasing 233 runs for victory, the Zimbabwean order was destroyed to leave them struggling at 90/9 going into the fifth and final day's play.

Earlier in the day, the West Indies were stunned by some superb bowling from Heath Streak and Ray Price. Starting the day on 13/1, the tourists could claim a 117-run lead and looked in total control of the game. This soon changed however.

Ganga was the first to go in the third over of play, without adding to his overnight 8. He was caught smartly by Carlisle lofting a slower ball from Blignaut. This dismissal brought Brian Lara, the most prolific West Indian batsman, to the crease. Anticipation swelled of another fine Lara innings, but Streak produced a superb middle-stump yorker to end those aspirations. Lara had scored just 1 run and his dismissal left the West Indies with 21 runs and three batsmen back in the pavilion.

Needing careful consolidation, Sarwan joined Hinds at the crease. After they had helped the score past the half-century, a much improved Blignaut returned to dismiss Sarwan. The West Indian vice-captain succumbed to the pressure of the situation with a loose drive, the ball of which was well-held by Wishart at the lone slip. They say "come one, come two" and this was present once more as Hinds' 75-ball vigil ended with a bat/pad catch by Carlisle off the impressive Price - 51/5. Hinds made 28.

The script continued as Chanderpaul and Jacobs rebuilt with a 31-run partnership before both fell with the score on 82. Chanderpaul (15) was the first to go to another erroneous decision, his second of the match. The ball of his dismissal pitched a couple of inches outside leg-stump but was unfortunately adjudged to be LBW. An over later, Jacobs drove at a Price offering and inside edged it to leg-slip for 10 - 82/7.

Price continued to produce nicely flighted and pitched deliveries to trouble new batsmen, Banks and Dillon. However, both players settled in to add as many runs as they possibly could. This partnership turned out to be the best of the innings, with 45 runs put on the board while the two were at the crease. Dillon batted impressively with the highlight of his unbeaten 27 being a smashing pull shot off the bowling of Blignaut. At the other end, Banks (16) batted with maturity and airtight defence, but he was ultimately caught close in off Ray Price. Price had just gone over the wicket to change the angle of delivery and found his success with the first ball of his twenty-first over. Four balls later, Collymore (0) missed an attempted flick of Price with the ball cannoning into his leg stumps.

Blignaut began the next over and surrendered a single to Dillon, before disturbing Edwards' (0) stumps three balls later. On three separate occasions, two wickets fell on the same score as the Windies collapsed for 128 runs off 52.4 overs. Leading the charge with his ninth wicket of the match was Raymond Price (4/36) and he was well supported by Blignaut (3/29). However, the best bowler of the day was undoubtedly Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak who was well rewarded with 3/39.

This left the home team needing just 233 runs from 143 overs to register its first ever Test match win over the West Indies. In the first Test, the Windies had barely escaped defeat, and now after dominating for three of the four days, they would once again face possible defeat.

Lara led his team out onto the field, looking pumped and purposeful. Indeed, the bowling effort began in much the same spirit with Dillon having Sibanda (0) caught at slip with the fourth ball of his first over - 0/1. The next over, Collymore got into the act with Gripper getting an edge which Jacobs collected low. The authenticity of the catch was referred to the third umpire and ultimately Gripper was ruled not out with the video images proving inconclusive.

With that life, the Zimbabweans progressed comfortably to 32 with Vermeulen leading the way and looking in fine form. It was Wavell Hinds who provided the second breakthrough when he got Vermeulen to drag a drive back onto his stumps for 24. Hinds was asked to bowl early once again after Edwards failed to take the field due to an ankle sprain. With the addition of a solitary run to the total, Gripper followed his partner back to the pavilion, caught at short leg for 8 - 33/3. Much to the relief of Zimbabwe, tea was taken, giving them a chance to attempt to regroup and rethink the strategy.

After resumption, Wishart looked to be at ease at the crease in support of a tentative Carlisle. With the score moving to 54 and Wishart looking dangerous, it was once again Hinds who broke the momentum. Driving at a wide outswinger, Wishart was brilliantly caught by Jacobs on a rebound off Gayle. He scored 13 to add to his first innings 96. In the trend of the day, Carlisle was out soon after, caught behind for 9 off a Banks delivery - 56/5. The hopes and dreams of the spectators and the Zimbabwean cricketers were quickly falling away with a further 177 runs still required for victory.

At this stage the West Indies team was pumped with the adrenaline clearly flowing and the wicket celebration emphatic. Edwards returned to the field of play and was soon in the action once more when he orchestrated the run out of Matsikenyeri for 5 - 62/6. Blignaut, who had been promoted to number six was next to go, padding up to Banks around the wicket. He was adjudged LBW for 3 and Zimbabwe had slipped further to 63/7.

Collymore, who had replaced Hinds soon got in on the fun as he trapped Taibu plumb in front for 1 - 67/8. He then delivered a superb yorker to Price, who initially seemed up to the task and jammed down on the ball. However in an attempt to stop the ball from rolling back onto the stumps, he managed to kick it further, leaving him bowled for 4 - 75/9. Now it was just a matter of time; time which Streak intended to spend scoring as many runs as he could. He produced a massive six off Banks' bowling on his way to 19 not out when light was offered.

With Streak at the crease in Blessing Mahwire (4) and Zimbabwe will start the final day needing a further 143 runs to win, with just one wicket in hand. Barring another tremendous Streak knock and some miraculous luck (or rain), the West Indies should wrap up a tough Test match and series with an impressive comeback victory.

So far Omari Banks (3/35) has been the pick of the bowlers, with Wavell Hinds (2/20) and Corey Collymore (2/19) also producing very good spells.

MATCH SUMMARY:

West Indies 1st innings 481 ao (107 overs)
(Brian Lara 191, Wavell Hinds 81, Ramnaresh Sarwan 65, Chris Gayle 47)
(Ray Price 5/199, Andy Blignaut 4/86)
Zimbabwe 1st innings 377 ao (133.1 overs)
(Mark Vermeulen 118, Craig Wishart 96, Ray Price 35, Andy Blignaut 31)
(Corey Collymore 4/70, Fidel Edwards 2/48, Mervyn Dillon 2/57, Omari Banks 2/106)
West Indies 2nd innings 128 ao (52.4 overs)
(Wavell Hinds 28, Mervyn Dillon 27 not out)
(Ray Price 4/36, Andy Blignaut 3/29, Heath Streak 3/39)
Zimbabwe 2nd innings 90/9 (41 overs)
(Mark Vermeulen 24, Heath Streak 19 not out, Craig Wishart 13)
(Omari Banks 3/35, Corey Collymore 2/19, Wavell Hinds 2/20)

Posted by Liam