BULAWAYO: West Indies were in control of the first Test against Zimbabwe after reaching 369-8 in their second innings for an overall lead of 429 runs at stumps on day three in Bulawayo on Monday.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite made 86 and all-rounder Roston Chase was 91 not out, putting West Indies in position to take the lead in the two-match series at the Queens Sports Club.

Zimbabwe bowled the West Indians out for 219 in the first innings on a spin-friendly pitch. The hosts then capitulated in their reply, also struggling on the turning surface to be all out for 159 on Sunday.

The West Indies batsmen adjusted better in their second innings, with Brathwaite leading from the front and Chase in sight of a fourth Test century.

Chase just needs the last two West Indies batsmen to stick around long enough for him to reach three figures after Devendra Bishoo’s dismissal for a handy 44 down the order brought the third day to a close. Chase hit eight fours and a six in an attacking innings at No. 5.

Brathwaite was far more measured, with his dogged 86 coming off 229 deliveries, but he laid the platform for the West Indies’ lead to approach 500 with two days to go. There were also useful contributions from Kyle Hope (43) and his talented younger brother Shai (44).

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer was once again his team’s best bowler with 3-111, taking the leg-spinner’s match total to seven wickets. Fellow spinner Sean Williams had 2-90 and fast bowler Kyle Jarvis, playing his first Test since 2013, took 2-66.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings) 219 (S.D. Hope 90, K.O.A. Powell 56; A.G. Cremer 4-64, S.C. Williams 3-20).

ZIMBABWE (1st Innings) 159 (H. Masakadza 42, C.R. Ervine 39; D. Bishoo 5-79).

WEST INDIES (2nd Innings, overnight 88-1):

K.C. Brathwaite lbw b Sikandar 86

K.O.A. Powell b Cremer 17

K.A. Hope lbw b Jarvis 43

S.D. Hope lbw b Jarvis 44

R.L. Chase not out 91

J. Blackwood st Chakabva b Williams 3

S.O. Dowrich c Masakadza b Williams 12

J.O. Holder c Mpofu b Cremer 24

D. Bishoo c Williams b Cremer 44

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-2) 5

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 122.3 overs) 369

FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-107, 3-174, 4-211, 5-224, 6-244, 7-277, 8-369.

BOWLING (to-date): Jarvis 24-1-66-2; Mpofu 10-3-30-0; Williams 33-7-90-2; Cremer 32.3-5-111-3; Sikandar Raza 19-4-53-1; Mire 2-0-5-0; Waller 2-0-9-0.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2017