Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
RAIN brought day two of the second Test cricket encounter between Zimbabwe and West Indies at Queens Sports Club to a premature close with West Indies leading by 175 runs going into the third day.
Coming back to the field after the first delay with a minimum of 29 overs to be played, only 5.3 overs could be bowled by Zimbabwe before it started raining again. West Indies finished on 290/8 in 90.4 overs after Zimbabwe managed to get four wickets as they tried to restrict their opponents’ scoring to ensure that they don’t have a huge lead.
Roston Chase finished as the match’s top scorer so far with 70 runs off 132 deliveries before he was bowled by seamer Victor Nyauchi who took 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 Joushua 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, 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 Gudakesh Motie had 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suffered a blow when Gary Ballance, scorer of an unbeaten 137 in his debut appearance for the country of his birth was withdrawn because of a migraine headache, his place in the playing 11 taken by Milton Shumba.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 line to record a five wicket haul of one of them picks 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 said he is happy with the feat and it speaks to the hard work he has been putting in throughout the duration of the matches.
Zimbabwe 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 on the third day to make up for time lost to the rain.
In other cricket news, the match between Tuskers and Eagles ended as a draw at Harare Sports Club while the other one between Southern Rocks and Rhinos also ended as a draw due to rain as well. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter