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Brandon Moyo, in BULAWAYO
RAIN brought day two of the second Test cricket encounter between Zimbabwe and West Indies at Queens Sports Club to a premature close after the visitors had taken a lead of 175 runs yesterday.
Coming back to the field after the first delay, which happened just before tea, and with a minimum of 29 overs to be played, only 5.3 overs could be bowled by Zimbabwe before it started raining again.
A call was made to stop play and West Indies eventually ended the day on 290/8 in 90.4 overs after Zimbabwe had managed to get four wickets on the day, as they tried to restrict their opponents from getting a huge lead. The Chevrons were bowled out for 115 the previous day.
West Indies were in full control by the time play was stopped yesterday. Roston Chase was the top scorer with 70 runs off 132 deliveries before he was bowled by seamer Victor Nyauchi, for his first wicket of the series.
Nyauchi went on to take two quick wickets in his first over after the resumption of play. Wicket keeper Joshua Da Silva was bowled for 44 runs while Tanunurwa Makoni took a brilliant catch to dismiss Alzarri Joseph for just four runs.
Another wicket that fell yesterday was that of Kyle Mayers, who scored 30 runs before being dismissed by leg spinner Brandon Mavuta, with the catch taken by Wellington Masakadza.
Raymon Reifer also managed to get his half century after he finished on 53 runs.
Zimbabwe had a terrible opening day of the match after they won the toss and elected to bat first. Spinner Gudakesh Motie put the Windies in firm control with an excellent bowling display on Sunday. Motie recorded figures of 7/37 in 14.5 overs, his best in this format of the game to wipe out Zimbabwe for 115 runs in 40.5 overs.
Zimbabwe, suffered a blow when Gary Ballance, scorer of an unbeaten 137 in his debut appearance for the country of his birth last week, was withdrawn because of a migraine headache. His place in the playing 11 was taken by Milton Shumba.
It took West Indies a little bit over lunch to bowl out Zimbabwe as Motie registered his best bowling figures in Test cricket and took control of the proceedings early on.
On the second day, Nyauchi finished with figures of 3/56 in 16.4 overs while in 24 overs, Mavuta had three wickets for 73 runs and Wellington Masakadza had one scalp for 58 runs in 20 overs.
Nyauchi and Mavuta are still lined up to record a five wicket haul if they manage to pick up the remaining Windies wickets.
At stumps, Jason Holder and Motie were in the middle for West Indies on three and 11 runs respectively.
Finally getting wickets after a long struggle, despite having been bowling well throughout, Nyauchi was happy with the feat which was a deserved reward for the hard work he has been putting in throughout the duration of the matches. Zimbabwe’s opening batter Innocent Kaia limped out of the pitch before the close of play but is said to be in good condition and ready to take to the crease when Zimbabwe eventually bowl out their opponents.
Play is set to resume 30 minutes earlier than usual today to make up for time lost to the rain.
Online Reporter