West Indies cruise to third victory against Zimbabwe
GEORGETOWN, May 8: Impressive bowling from Fidel Edwards after a dominant batting performance paved the way for West Indies to complete an 82-run win in the fourth One-day international against Zimbabwe at Bourda Oval on Sunday (partly reported in Monday’s edition).
Edwards snared three wickets for 42 runs from his allotment of 10 overs, as Zimbabwe, chasing 334 for victory, were restricted to 251 for seven to hand West Indies an unstoppable 3-0 lead in the seven-match series.
Zimbabwe never had a chance once Edwards removed opening batsmen Piet Rinke and skipper Terrence Duffin for ducks in the space of four balls in the first over.
Elton Chigumbura and Vusimuzi Sibanda took the opportunity to enhance their reputations with meaningful half-centuries that were the backbone of the visitors’ innings before Edwards and Tino Best, respectively, removed them.
Chigumbura hit four fours and three sixes in 60 at a run-a-ball and Sibanda supported with nine boundaries in 52 from 73 deliveries.
Led by half-centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, and Brian Lara, West Indies, choosing to bat on a hard, true pitch under sunny skies, totalled 333 for six from their allocation of 50 overs.
Edwards then struck with the first ball of the chase, when he had Rinke comprehensively beaten and bowled for pace, and Duffin caught behind touching a rising ball angled across him.
Justice Chibhabha, who has emerged as a player for the future for Zimbabwe on this trip, and Brendon Taylor added 55 for the third wicket to settle the nerves of the visitors.
They were just beginning to get into the swing of things, when Taylor was adjudged lbw to Dwayne Smith for 26 in the 12th over.
This was another setback that Zimbabwe could ill-afford, and though Chibhabha, Chigumbura, and Sibanda all carried the fight to the West Indies attack, the visitors found the mountain to steep to climb.
West Indies also won the first two matches last weekend by five wickets and 98 runs at the Antigua Recreation Ground, but the third match scheduled for Saturday here was cancelled because of rain.
The series continues on Wednesday, when the two sides contest the first day/night ODI in the Caribbean at St Lucia's Beausejour Stadium, followed by back-to-back matches at Trinidad & Tobago's Queen's Park Oval on Saturday and Sunday.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES:
S. Chattergoon run out 9
R.S. Morton c Rainsford b Utseya 79
B.C. Lara c Taylor b Mupariwa 56
S. Chanderpaul b Rainsford 93
R.R. Sarwan c Coventry b Rinke 40
M.N. Samuels b Chibhabha 9
D.R. Smith not out 23
D. Ramdin not out 3
EXTRAS (B-5, LB-1, W-6, NB-9) 21
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 333
FALL OF WKTS: 1-36, 2-145, 3-166, 4-246, 5-276, 6-308.
DID NOT BAT: F.H. Edwards, T.L. Best, C.D. Collymore.