Streak bowls Zimbabwe to verge of historic win

PORT OF SPAIN, MARCH 20. Zimbabwe need 99 to win the first Test against West Indies, which was all out for 147 in its second innings on the fifth and final day at Queen's Park Oval on Monday.

Fast-medium bowler Heath Streak, who claimed the last wicket in the first over of the morning to finish with five for 27, and Henry Olonga shared six wickets to carry Zimbabwe to the brink of an historic win.

Earlier on Sunday, Streak ended the day with four wickets and Olonga captured two for 28 to leave West Indies floundering at 147 for nine in their second innings at stumps.

A 78-run stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose 49 was the top score, and captain Jimmy Adams for the fourth wicket raised hopes of West Indies possibly saving the match, particularly in light of the unpredictable weather that robbed the day of 100 minutes in the afternoon period.

Three wickets, including both left-handers, in the space of 26 balls between Streak and Olonga however, destroyed any thoughts of such a recovery and left West Indies facing a defeat.

Streak however, was not about to predict West Indies' third consecutive defeat at Queen's Park Oval. ``Their lead of around 100 is a total that if we were in the same situation, we would back ourselves to defend it on that pitch because it's hard to score runs on,'' he said afterwards. Behind by 49 on first innings, West Indies had a nightmarish start when opening batsman Adrian Griffith was lbw and fellow left-hander Chris Gayle was bowled for `ducks' off successive deliveries in the opening over of the day from Streak.

For a fragile batting line-up like West Indies', such state of affairs could only be traumatic and, for the rest of the day, the Zimbabwean bowlers kept up the pressure with tight, purposeful bowling. Occasionally, there was a flurry of runs from the West Indies' batsman, but it was all too infrequent and Zimbabwe kept tightening the screws.

Opening batsman Sherwin campbell and Chanderpaul played a few strokes in the early parts of their innings to get West Indies moving.

The thinking Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower made sure runs were at a premium for the host.

The introduction of fast-medium bowler Mpumelelo Mbangwa and leg- spinner Brian Murphy stemmed the flow as the two batsmen endured a lean period. Mbangwa conceded six runs from his first seven overs and Murphy 12 runs from from his first eight overs.

Trying to break free after being kept scoreless for close to half-hour, Campbell was run out when he overbalanced playing a flick at Murphy and Murray Goodwin, alert at short leg, hit the stumps with an under-arm throw.

For most of the morning, the clouds hovered over the ground and, just prior to the interval, they finally opened to drive the players off for a slightly earlier than usual lunch with West Indies 53 for three.

The rain forced a delayed start to the afternoon period, but Chanderpaul and Adams batted doggedly through the 55 minutes available to them for West Indies to take tea at 95 for three.

Things fell apart for West Indies after the break. From a position of 115 for three, it lost its next six wickets for 32 runs, once more emphasising the brittleness of their batting.

Olonga broke through for Zimbabwe when Adams square drove into the lap of cover-point fielder Brian Murphy after batting just over two and half hours for 27 off 117 balls.

``I don't think I played the best shot in the world,'' Adams remarked. ``When you have a partnership that is blossoming, the onus is to make sure it keeps going for as long as possible.''

Next over, Chanderpaul was undone by a full-pitch from Streak to be adjudged lbw after batting just over four hours to strike five fours from 174 balls. There was neither substance nor stability from the rest of the West Indies batsmen.

- AFP

Zimbabwe 40 for three

PORT OF SPAIN, MARCH 20. Zimbabwe, needing 99 to win the first Test against West Indies, was 40 for three at lunch on the fifth and final day. Grant Flower on 21 and Andy Flower, yet to open his account, were at the crease

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