HARARE, Nov 6: Left-arm spinner Ray Price picked up three wickets as Zimbabwe took control on the third day of the first Test against West Indies on Thursday.

When bad light ended play seven overs early, Price had claimed three for 39 and West Indies had stumbled to 241 for six in reply to Zimbabwe’s first innings of 507 for nine declared.

West Indies had consolidated after Wavell Hinds threw away the chance of a century and Brian Lara fell cheaply, but the visitors then lost three wickets for just 29 runs in the final session to give Zimbabwe the advantage.

Hinds scored an aggressive 79 and Daren Ganga made a patient 73 but, by the close, West Indies still trailed their hosts by 266 with four first-innings wickets in hand.

Hinds and Ganga had added 72 in a brisk partnership for the second wicket before Hinds, facing medium pacer Blessing Mahwire, lofted a drive weakly to Andy Blignaut at mid-on.

Hinds blazed 15 boundaries with an assortment of cuts, pulls and drives in his 95-ball stay.

Lara and Ganga put on 52 for the third wicket but Price ended it when Lara tried to hit him for six and was well held on the long-on boundary by Mahwire for 29.

Shortly after tea, Price trapped Ramnaresh Sarwan leg before wicket for nine and, nine balls later, Ganga was bowled by Mahwire. Ganga had struck 14 fours in a little more than three hours at the crease.

Ridley Jacobs was the last to go, caught by Mark Vermeulen at silly point for five.

The start to the third day had been delayed for two hours after a ball being used by Zimbabwe during a warm-up rolled on to the pitch and under the wheels of a roller preparing the wicket.

The incident caused an indentation in line with leg stump and on a length.

West Indies had resumed on 11 without loss and brought up the 50 in the 11th over of the day after Chris Gayle crashed two head-high drives for four off fast bowlers Heath Streak and Blignaut.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe (1st innings) 507-9 decl (H.Streak 127, A.Blignaut 91, T.Taibu 83, S.Matsikenyeri 57; Edwards 5-133)