West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul (right) hit the ball through the on-side during his 82-ball knock of 93 against Zimbabwe in the one-day international match at Bourda ground in Guyana yesterday. Looking on is wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor. - PHOTO BY DELLMAR
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):
AGGRESSIVE BATTING set things in motion and disciplined bowling carried West Indies to a comfortable 82-run victory over Zimbabwe in the fourth One-day International yesterday.
West Indies restricted Zimbabwe, in pursuit of a challenging victory target of 334, to 251 for seven from their allocation of 50 overs to claim a 3-0 lead in the seven-match series.
Elton Chigumbura top-scored for the visitors with a run-a-ball 60 that included four fours and three sixes and Vusimuzi Sibanda supported with 52 from 73 balls that contained nine boundaries.
Fidel Edwards was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with three wickets for 42 runs from his quota of 10 overs and Marlon Samuels collected two for 48 from his allotment of 10 overs.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit nine fours and three sixes in the top score of 93 from 82 balls and was one of three s batsmen that passed 50 in West Indies' total of 333 for six from their 50 overs - the highest ODI total at the ground which was hosting its final game.
Runako Morton supported with 79 that included nine fours and one six from 92 balls, and Brian Lara collected nine fours in 56 from 45 balls.
Chanderpaul added 83 for the fourth wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan, who got 40, to stay on track for their challenging total.
NO DOUBT
Then Edwards removed openers Piet Rinke and Terrence Duffin, the Zimbabwe captain, for ducks in the first over to leave the visitors with an even more mountainous task.
Though Chigumbura, Sibanda and Justice Chibhabha, who scored 40 from 75 balls, all helped Zimbabwe reach a respectable total, the result was never in any doubt.
After Brendon Taylor was lbw to Dwayne Smith for 26 in the 12th over after adding 55 with Chibhabha for the second wicket, the Zimbabweans carried the fight to the West Indies attack.
Chigumbura, Sibanda, and Chibhabha were all severe on anything fractionally off line, and Tino Best, one of four changes to the Caribbean side, was the target of the brunt of the punishment with his 10 overs costing 70 runs.
Earlier, West Indies suffered an early setback, when Sewnarine Chattergoon, making his ODI debut, was run out for nine in the eighth over.
EYEING TRIPLE FIGURES
Lara came to crease and got things really moving in a stand of 109 for the second wicket with Morton before he was caught behind off Tawanda Mupariwa in the 22nd over.
Morton, who umpire Billy Bowden called back after adjudging him run out in the 20th over, was caught at long-off off Prosper Utseya in the 29th over.
Sarwan arrived and kept things rolling with Chanderpaul before he was caught at long-on off Rinke in the 41st over, and Samuels was bowled by Chibhabha in the 46th over to leave West Indies 280 for five.
Chanderpaul was eyeing triple figures and exploded with an attractive array of strokes, but Edward Rainsford bowled him in the 48th over to slow West Indies down, but not enough to prevent them winning.
The series continues on Wednesday with the first day/night fixture in the Caribbean at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.
