The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
It took about 35 minutes and seven overs on the final morning for Brian Lara?s West Indians to clinch a face-saving series win over Zimbabwe in Harare.
The West Indies are one wicket away from a face-saving overseas series win against perennial minnows Zimbabwe but the euphoria of victory won?t be enough to mask the numerous deficiencies within Brian Lara?s squad.
After the fourth day when wickets fell like ninepins in a crowded bowling alley -- 18 for 209 in all -- the West Indies will more than likely sneak away with a victory that seemed improbable after the batting collapsed spectacularly for 128.
Despite losing the lead-footed and struggling Chris Gayle to a first ball duck in the second innings, the West Indies still are in a handsome position in the second and final test against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo.
The Caribbean team sits comfortably on a 117-run lead after slowly working the fighting Zimbabweans out for 377 which was 104 short of the West Indies? first innings total of 481 all out.
Brian Lara duly completed his inevitable climb atop the all-time West Indies Test run-scoring mountain Thursday, blasting a boundary-studded 191 to surpass Viv Richards' record. It was an achievement expected around the region ever since the Trinidadian champion batsman was in short pants.
Whenever Brian Lara is backed into a wall, the response is usually swift and emphatic.
Smarting from criticism over his captaincy -- and careless dismissal -- in the first Test, the West Indies captain collared the Zimbabwe bowlers on the opening day of the second Test at Bulawayo, lashing an unbeaten 77 that puts him on the brink of obliterating the record for the most Test runs by a West Indian batsman.