On a day when Zimbabwe were attempting to look forward to a brighter future, they profited from returning to a few old strengths. The Zimbabwe of old were known for their bowling and fielding discipline, which often made up for any lack of incision in their attack. On Saturday (October 21) that returned, stifling the Windies through the first half of the day before the spinners ran riot in the final session.
In the end Graeme Cremer and Sean Williams shared seven wickets as the West Indies were bowled out for 219, as they made the most of a pitch that provided spin from the very first session. Four of those dismissals were claimed by Craig Ervine at short leg, as the West Indian batsman played down the wrong line.
With Williams taking 3 for 20 and Sikandar Raza also picking up a wicket, Zimbabwe's part-time spinners played their part. The onus is now likely to fall on legspinner Devendra Bishoo to strike back, but he will not have as much support as Cremer, who finished with 4 for 64.
In conditions that could hardly have been more different to the ones he faced in his last Test innings, Shai Hope held the West Indian innings together, finishing unbeaten on 90 when he ran out of partners. The slow nature of the pitch, allied with some accurate Zimbabwean bowling, made patience key. Hope showed it in his 201-ball innings, as did Kieran Powell in his 133-ball 56.
Full Story