Ganga 100 spurs WI to victory

Chris Gayle (76) featured in 177-run opening stand with Darren Ganga. - File

HARARE, CANA, Reuters:

DARREN Ganga hit a century to set West Indies on the way to an eight-run win over a Zimbabwe Academy XI in their opening tour match yesterday.

Opener Ganga stroked 101 off 140 balls with eight fours as the touring team scored 211 for three in their 45 overs, to which the Academy XI replied with 203 for five.

Ganga and Chris Gayle supplied the bulk of the West Indies' runs in their opening partnership of 177 which ended in the 38th over when Gayle, who scored 76, was caught at deep mid-wicket by Gary Brent off left-arm spinner Dirk Viljoen.

For the home side, Andre Neethling, who scored 54, and man-of-the-match Guy Croxford, with 86, put on 124 for the second wicket.

However, the rest of the Academy XI's batsmen struggled to find gaps in the field and their only other double-figure score was Sean Ervine's 17 not out.

Off-spinner Marlon Samuels took three for 30 for the West Indians.

West Indies' tour itinerary includes a triangular one-day series against Zimbabwe and India, and two Tests against Zimbabwe.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies

D.Ganga c Neethling b Viljoen 101

C.Gayle c Brent b Viljoen 76

W.Hinds b Ervine 3

M.Samuels not out 13

Extras (lb-3, w-15) 18

Total (for three wickets, 45 overs) 211

Fall of wickets: 1-177 2-185 3-208

Did not bat: S.Chanderpaul, C.Hooper, R.Jacobs, N.McGarrell, M.Dillon, R.King, K.Jeremy.

Bowling: Mahwire 7-0-30-0 (w-4), Chari 2-0-14-0 (w-5), Ervine 9-0-52-1 (w-3), Viljoen 8-0-25-2, Lewis 3-0-22-0 (w-2), Brent 9-0-31-0 (w-1), Rogers 7-0-34-0

Zimbabwe Academy XI

A.Neethling c Jeremy b Samuels 54

R.Butterworth c Samuels b King 3

G.Croxford st Jacobs b Samuels 86

B.Rogers c Chanderpaul b Hooper 6

D.Viljoen c King b Samuels 7

S.Ervine not out 17

G.Brent not out 1

Extras (lb-12, w-15, nb-2) 29

Total (for five wickets, 45 overs) 203

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-136, 3-152, 4-162, 5-184

Did not bat: K.Dabengwa, N.Mahwire, J.Lewis, N.Chari.

Bowling: Dillon 9-0-40-0 (nb-2 w-5), King 9-3-29-1 (w-6), Jeremy 4-0-32-0 (w-4), McGarrell 9-1-38-0, Hooper 8-0-22-1, Samuels 6-0-30-3.

Result: West Indies won by eight runs.

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