West Indian bowler Vasbert Drakes successfully appeal for the wicket of Zimbabwe batsman Trevor Gripper out lbw for 26 runs on the fourth day of the Test match at the Harare Sports Club yesterday. - Reuters HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):
THE WEST Indies had an outside chance of rallying to win the first Test after shaving Zimbabwe's second innings to 94 for four and a lead of 266 after the fourth day yesterday.
The West Indies, chasing Zimbabwe's first innings score of 507 for nine declared, were all out for 335, a deficit of 172, and barely avoided passing the follow-on mark.
The visitors began the day 241 for six and 67 runs shy of being forced to bat again, and passed the target for the loss of the wickets of Shivnarine Chander-paul and Vasbert Drakes.
The pair added 49 more for the seventh wicket before Chander-paul (36) was caught leg-before by captain Heath Streak. Drakes (31) was out four runs later, the team still needing 13 more to pass the follow-on.
Corey Collymore and Jerome Taylor knocked off the runs needed before Taylor became Ray Price's fifth wicket of the innings. Price also claimed the last wicket of Fidel Edwards (18) to give the left-arm spinner a career-best six for 73, surpassing his six for 121 against Australia last month in Sydney.
Zimbabwe's attempt to add runs quickly in their second innings slipped badly when Vusi Sibanda (16) and Mark Vermeulen (26) were removed quickly, Edwards inducing an edge off Vermeulen for his sixth wicket of the match.
Zimbabwe advanced from 27 for two to 45 with Trevor Gripper and Stuart Carlisle at the crease, when a rainstorm swept across the ground, causing a delay of about 90 minutes.
When play resumed, both batsmen fell to Drakes. But Craig Wishart, looking sound at 25 not out, and debutant Stuart Matsikenyere on one, played out the final overs to leave the score at stumps on 94-4, and a draw the most likely result.
SCOREBOARD
Zimbabwe first innings 507-9 dec.
West Indies first innings
(Resumed at 241-6)
S. Chanderpaul lbw Streak 36
V. Drakes c Streak b Price 31
J. Taylor c Wishart b Price 9
C. Collymore not out 11
F. Edwards c Matsikenyeri b Price 18
Extras (b7, lb7, w3, nb4) 21
TOTAL (all out - 114.2 overs) 335
Fall: 1-50, 2-127, 3-179, 4-211, 5-215, 6-240, 7-290, 8-294, 9-309.
Bowling: Blignaut 14-1-68-0 (nb3, w1);Streak 28-9-74-2 (nb1); Mahwire 25-7-75-2 (w1); Price 37.2-13-73-6; Matsikenyeri 2-0-10-0; Gripper 8-1-21-0 (w1).
Zimbabwe second innings
V. Sibanda c Ganga b Collymore 16
T. Gripper lbw Drakes 26
M. Vermeulen c Chanderpaul b Edwards 2
S. Carlisle lbw Drakes 10
C. Wishart not out 25
S. Matsikenyeri 1
Extras (b8, nb6) 14
TOTAL (four wkts - 31.4 overs) 94
Fall: 1-21, 2-27, 3-60, 4-90.
Bowling: Collymore 10-2-34-1 (nb3); Edwards 11-4-27-1 (nb3); Drakes 10.4-2-25-2.
