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WI v Zim : Day 5

Sunday, November 9 2003

A defiant last-wicket stand between Fidel Edwards and Ridley Jacobs denied Zimbabwe their maiden Test win over the West Indies today. After limiting the tourists to 204/9 with 71 balls remaining in play, Zimbabwe just failed to press home to victory.

Edwards batted well in support of Jacobs, as the two added 3 runs over the 71-ball stand. The number eleven batsman faced 33 balls for his unbeaten 1 and Jacobs continued to show his value to the West Indies team as he batted defiantly for 60.

Zimbabwe started the day with a lead of 266 runs and a score of 94/4. Wishart added 9 runs to his overnight 25 before his stumps were rattled to give Drakes a third wicket of the innings. This brought first day hero, Tatenda Taibu (21) to join Matsikenyeri at the crease and the two took the score to 152 before the former dragged on for the second time in the match.

Matsikenyeri continued to play well as he together with Blignaut (13) and Streak (7 not out) brought up the Zimbabwean 200 and improved the lead to 372, before Streak declared. Matsikenyeri completed an outstanding debut with 46 not out to accompany his first innings 57.

The declaration meant that the West Indies would have 83 overs to score 373 runs to win. At lunch everything seemed in order with the Windies at 18/0.

Upon the resumption, the game plan started to unravel. Jamaican openers Hinds (23) and Gayle (13) were out within just 5 balls of each other with the total at 37 - an early setback. Enter Brian Lara, who rocked back to the first offering he saw from Price and stroked it through the covers for a single. Six (6) balls later he padded up to a delivery from Streak which hit him outside offstump. The Zimbabweans went up in huge appeal and Billy Bowden's crooked finger followed; Lara gone for 1 - 38/3. Replays proceeded to show that the ball would have comfortably missed offstump.

At this stage, it was clear that victory was out of the question and even a draw would take alot of application. Price made this even more clear when he took his second wicket of the innings, as Ganga played around a basic offbreak to be bowled for 16 - 73/4.

Now the West Indies' fate was largely up to the efforts of the Guyanese duo of Chanderpaul and Sarwan. Both batted very well and looked like ensuring that no more wickets would be lost before tea. Indeed, it was to be a moment of temporary insanity that broke the stand, as Sarwan needlessly darted down the pitch to a Gripper delivery and took a big and ultimately fatal swipe. Taibu collected neatly and swiftly removed the bails to have Sarwan out for what had been, to that point, a very good innings of 39 - 103/5.

Out to the middle strode the wily veteran Ridley Jacobs. Surely this partnership would be the only thing between a draw and an historic Zimbabwean win? Chanderpaul continued to bat doggedly, well-supported by Jacobs as the score was resurrected to 171, with the West Indies looking increasingly more favoured for a draw. Once again, for the ninth time in the Test, Price lifted the Zimbabwean hearts. Chanderpaul (39) mistimed a simple offbreak into the air and Sibanda completed the play - 171/6.

The atmosphere was electric as the home fans sensed a special finish for their team. Indeed, 23.3 more overs remained to be negotiated by Jacobs and the West Indian tail. To further press into the driver's seat, Streak turned to the least impressive bowler of the game to that point - Andy Blignaut. What followed was a superb exhibition of pace bowling. Blignaut bowled consistently fast and aggressively, claiming Drakes (4) and Taylor (3) along the way. Two more down and just two more to go. All the while, Ridley Jacobs continued to play for a cause and reached his twelfth (and surely most important) Test match fifty.

At the other end, bowling unchanged for most of the innings, Price continued bowling to Corey Collymore. Inside edge - held - jubilation. The scene of ecstasy which followed is enough to give even the most devoted of West Indies supporter goosebumps. With the television coverage, the comments seemed to echo the general sentiments of a sure win for the Zimbabweans. After all, with 10.3 overs remaining and just Edwards to keep Jacobs company, what could possibly prevent the Africans?

An appeal a ball, a few close outside edges and a dropped catch at leg-gully off Edwards were to follow in one of the most tense thirty-minute period of international cricket. When all was said and done, Jacobs and Edwards could breath a sigh of relief with a very much unlikely draw secured. The West Indies had just managed to escape defeat despite the heroic efforts of several Zimbabwean characters. Ray Price bowled superbly for match figures of 10/161 from 75.2 overs. However, the most outstanding performer of the game was captain Heath Streak. For his unbeaten 134 runs and 4 wickets in the game, Streak won the Man of the Match award.

MATCH SUMMARY
Toss: Zimbabwe
Result: Match drawn
Zimbabwe 1st innings 507/7 dec. (152.3 overs)
(Heath Streak 127 not out, Andy Blignaut 91, Tatenda Taibu 83, S Matsikenyeri 57)
(Fidel Edwards 5/133, Jerome Taylor 1/32, Wavell Hinds 1/40)
West Indies 1st innings 335 ao (114.2 overs)
(Wavell Hinds 79, Daren Ganga 73, Shiv Chanderpaul 36)
(Ray Price 6/73, Heath Streak 2/74, Blessing Mahwire 2/75)
Zimbabwe 2nd innings 200/7 dec. (52 overs)
(S Matsikenyeri 46 not out, Craig Wishart 34, Trevor Gripper 26)
(Vasbert Drakes 4/67, Corey Collymore 2/59)
West Indies 2nd innings 207/9 (83 overs)
(Ridley Jacobs 60 not out, Shiv Chanderpaul/Ramnaresh Sarwan 39)
(Ray Price 4/88, Heath Streak 2/28, Andy Blignaut 2/50)
Man of the Match: Heath Streak

Posted by Liam