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HARARE, Dec 4: Stand-in captain Dwayne Bravo hit 45 runs in 24 balls to see the West Indies home and dry after the tourists flirted with danger in their third One-day International against Zimbabwe here on Tuesday.
Bravo’s knock helped the West Indies to take their score to 142-4 in just 27.5 overs, and this has given them a series lead of 2-1 with two to play in the five-match series.
It had all looked so comfortable for the tourists when they bowled out the Zimbabweans for a measly 139 runs in 37.5 overs following a late morning start to the match.
There had been a 75-minute delay following morning rain. And so Bravo had no hesitation when winning the toss in asking the home side to bat on a humid wicket that had been under covers.
But the West Indies made heavy weather of their reply and at 82-4, still 58 runs short of target, some of their players and officials at Harare Sports Club were beginning to have anxieties.Bravo, replacing the injured Chris Gayle as captain, came to the wicket relishing the challenge, however, and he finished off the home side with abandon.
Other individual successes for the West Indies here were by Runako Morton, who added 38 to his previous scores of 55 and 79, Jerome Taylor who took three wickets for just 18 runs in 9.5 overs and Darren Powell with 3-32.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE
V. Sibanda c Ramdin b Powell 5
B. Taylor lbw b Rampaul 4
C. Chibhabha c Smith b Rampaul 6
T. Taibu b Lewis 32
H. Masakadza c Smith b Taylor 6
S. Matsikenyeri c Smith b Lewis 16
E. Chigumbura c Morton b Powell 2
K. Dabengwa not out 26
P. Utseya c Ramdin b Powell 4
G. Brent b Taylor 9
R. Price b Taylor 2
EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-1, W-22) 27
TOTAL (all out, 37.5 overs) 139
FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-25, 3-36, 4-67, 5-83, 6-92, 7-96, 8-109, 9-129.
BOWLING: Rampaul 6-1-29-2 (9w), Powell 9-1-32-3 (6w), Taylor 9.5-1-18-3, Bravo 4-0-20-0 (1nb, 3w), Lewis 9-0-36-2.
WEST INDIES
D. Smith c Matsikenyeri b Chigumbura 1
B. Parchment c Taibu b Chigumbura 15
R. Morton c Brent b Uyseya 38
S. Chanderpaul not out 27
M. Samuels st Taibu b Utseya 4
D. Bravo not out 45
EXTRAS (LB-7, NB-2, W-3) 12
TOTAL (for four wkts, 27.5 overs) 142
DID NOT BAT: R Lewis D Powell, D Ramdin, R Rampaul, J Taylor.
FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-35, 3-77, 4-82.
BOWLING: Chigumbura 8-1-57-2 (2nb, 1w), Brent 5.5-2-31-0 (1w), Utseya 6-0-27-2 (1w), Price 8-1-20-0.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Jerome Taylor (West Indies).—Agencies
