After an opening day full of optimism, Zimbabwe were brought down to earth on day two of their first Test against touring West Indies after they were bowled out for 159 in their reply to the visitors’ first innings total of 219 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.
BY Kevin Mapasure in Bulawayo
Zimbabwe squandered the initiative taken at the back of good bowling on day one, to fold 60 runs shy of the visitors’ total. At the end, West Indies, who began their second innings accumulation after tea, had taken their lead to 148 runs after closing on 88 for 1 in their second innings.
Kraigg Brathwaite was on 38 while Kyle Hope had made 32.
Captain Graeme Cremer claimed Zimbabwe’s only wicket in West Indies second innings, removing Kieran Powell (17), but there was to be no further success for Zimbabwe.
In their first innings, Cremer’s men climbed down from 90-1 to their disappointing total after resuming on 19 for zero Hamilton Masakadza top scored for Zimbabwe in their first innings with 42 runs, before he fell to the combination of Devendra Bishoo, and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, the former retaining impressive figures of 5 for 79.
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His partner, Solomon Mire, was the first to go after Brathwaite took a catch off Kemar Roach’s bowling to reduce Zimbabwe to 44 for 1.
The total had moved to 92 when Zimbabwe lost Masakadza and not long after that Brendan Taylor had joined him in the hut after an attempted reverse sweep cost him, having contributed just one run.
There had been a lot of expectation as this was Taylor’s first innings since his return to international cricket, but in the end, his contribution was underwhelming and disappointing.
This was not an easy pitch to bat on and Zimbabwe soon found out.
However, there was poor shot selection, which aided West Indies bowling, with Bishoo, in particular, taking full advantage and emulating the Zimbabwean spinners, who took eight wickets on day one.
Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza both failed to get into the double figures, while Malcolm Waller and Regis Chakabva managed, but only as far as 11 and 12 respectively.
Cremer faced 11 balls, but failed to get off the mark, with Chris Mpofu scoring 10, while Kyle Jarvis was unbeaten on 2. TEAMS
ZIMBABWE: S Mire, H Masakadza, B Taylor, C Ervine, S Williams, S Raza, M Waller, R Chakabva, G Cremer, C Mpofu, K Jarvis.
WEST INDIES: K Brathwaite, K Powell, K Hope, S Hope, R Chase, J Blackwood, S Dowrich, J Holder, D Bishoo, K Roach, S Gabriel