BRIDGETOWN, March 13: Marlon Samuels lit up the Kensington Oval with another felicitous fifty, but Zimbabwe had the last laugh on the stroke of the interval to leave the West Indies at 144 for five at lunch on the second day of the first Test here on Wednesday.

Replying to the visitors’ first innings total of 211, the home side lost Darren Bravo to a catch at the wicket off Kyle Jarvis in the first hour, giving the opening bowler his third wicket.

However Samuels joined Chris Gayle and the pair proceeded to accelerate the scoring with a succession of boundaries, forcing Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor to ring the changes in pursuit of a breakthrough.

It eventually came with the first delivery after the drinks break, a lifting delivery from Tendai Chatara taking the glove of Gayle (40) and giving the debutant seamer his first Test wicket via a simple catch at second slip by the captain.

But Samuels continued to flow along effortlessly, dominating a 63-run partnership with Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

He brought up his 18th Test half-century just before the interval but perished in the last over to the break, driving loosely at Hamilton Masakadza to be caught behind for and give Zimbabwe hope into the afternoon, even with Chanderpaul set to resume on 25.

On Tuesday, Samuels proved an unlikely bowling hero for the hosts as he grabbed four wickets to help dismiss Zimbabwe for a modest total.

Samuels returned from injury to take an extraordinary one-handed catch in the gully and then four wickets with his off spin for a Test best return of 4-13, slicing through the lower order as the spinners dominated despite a determined start by the West Indian quicks.

It was the first time in more than a half century at the Kensington Oval that spinners had taken seven wickets in an innings for West Indies. Shane Shillingford marked his recall to the team with 3-58 off a workman-like 22 overs.

Tino Mawoyo showed bravery in withstanding a barrage of body blows to get through to lunch and then reach his 50 shortly thereafter before falling to a close on catch by Kieran Powell off Shillingford.

He was the only Zimbabwean batsman to get going although several others threatened with good starts before falling cheaply.

Samuels took a wicket with his first ball, clean bowling Craig Ervine (29) and then had Graeme Cremer caught at point for 25 before claiming the last two wickets.—Agencies