Finally, Windies Wake Up

Fri, Nov 7, '03

 

FIRST TEST, DAY FOUR: Zimbabwe 507-9 decl. and 94-4; Windies 335. (Zimbabwe leads by 266)

Four days into the first Test against Zimbabwe, the sleepwalking West Indies finally woke up and showed a bit of fighting spirit -- thanks to the manful efforts of its most inexperienced player.

Fidel Edwards, a 21-year-old fast bowler in only his second Test, batted purposefully at number eleven for 18 valuable runs as the visitors scored a moral victory by avoiding the follow-on. With crucial low order batting by Vasbert Drakes (31), Shiv Chanderpaul (36), the West Indies still has an outside -- if unlikely -- chance of a come-from-behind win.

It would take a sporting declaration from Zimbabwe, and heart-stopping batting for the Caribbean side to come close to smelling victory but the fact that it's even part of the discussion after the sloppy cricket in the first three days tells the story of young Edwards' value to the team.

For 43 balls, he played with a straight bat as the Zimbabweans smelled blood. With the embarrassment of the follow-on beckoning, Edwards included three boundaries in his knock as the West Indians exhaled. Drakes, a veteran playing in only his eighth Test match included a six and four boundaries in a hard-nosed innings of 31 to ensure the Zimbabweans would bat again.

Chanderpaul, too, played well for the most part. With Drakes, he blunted the Zimbabwean spinners and got to 36 before the new ball in Streak's hands wrapped him lbw.

Raymond Price, the fast-talking left-arm spinner, took the rest of the wickets to end with a career-best 6 for 73 from 37.2 overs. Price had earlier belittled the West Indian batting in the media and backed up his words with top-quality bowling.

Giving up a lead of 172, the West Indians took to the field with a bounce in their step. It was Edwards again in the thick of things. Bowling with nice pace, he softened the Zimbabwean openers for his new-ball partner, Corey Collymore, to strike. Vusi Sibanda pulled at one sharply, only to see Daren Ganga at square leg holding on to the blinding chance.

Mark Vermeulen came in next and was at the mercy of Edwards. In one memorable over, he played and missed repeatedly and was visibly surprised by a sharp bouncer. It came as no surprise when he squared up to one that straightened and kissed his edge before settling in Chanderpaul's hands at slip.

At 27 for 2, Lara's men looked energised but the rain would soon rain on the mini parade and force an early tea. Drakes joined the fun after the lengthened interval, dismissing Stuart Carlisle with a beautiful off-cutter that struck his pad plumb in front.

It was Drakes' 600th first class wicket, a remarkable achievement for a cricketer who was overlooked for many years because of the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) archaic eligibility rule. Drakes is a pro's pro and his presence is an asset to the younger bowlers in the touring side.

He would soon make it 601 with Gripper's scalp, another indipping off-cutter that scored the lbw decision.

Fading light would soon end the day's play prematurely to send the game into the final day with a draw the most likely result. Still, a sporting declaration could set up an interesting finale if a 300-320 target lights up Lara's eyes.

Without the bright-eyed efforts of Edwards and Drakes, this Test could have ended in catastrophe.