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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
West Indies 78-1 (Powell 43, Brathwaite 32, Cremer 1/31) trail Zimbabwe 326 (Masakadza 147, Raza 80, Roach 3/44, Gabriel 2/64, Bishoo 2/82) by 248 runs

ZIMBABWE remained ahead of West Indies after day two of the second cricket Test at Queens Sports Club yesterday with their depleted bowling attack having a lot of work to do to maintain the advantage.

Hamilton Masakadza top scored with 147 runs, his highest score in Test, while Sikandar Raza was second best with 80 for Zimbabwe’s first innings of 326 off 109.1 overs.

At stumps, West Indies had progressed to a painstaking 78 for one in 49 overs, having lost the wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite.

Debutant, Tendai Chisoro, who has a huge role to play with his left arm spin if Zimbabwe are to bowl out West Indies today, feels that if they can strike early this morning, then they stand a chance of winning the Test and level the series.

“When you look at their score of 78 for one and considering the overs we have bowled, the run rate is a bit slow, even if its Test cricket. If you add two wickets onto that score, it’s a different ball game now and the two wickets out there, one of them is Bishoo, who is not considered a batsman, so tomorrow you come and play shots you give us chances and hopefully in the first hour we strike early and after that get early wickets,” Chisoro said.

His indication was that Zimbabwe would be looking to have a lead of at least 100 runs to stand a chance of recording their first ever victory over West Indies in the prolonged version of the game.

“If we bowl West Indies out before they take the lead and we have a lead of at least 100, I think we will fancy ourselves to bowl them out to win the Test match. As a team, we said if we get 650 runs in both innings combined, we would be safe in the game and we will have a chance to win the game,” he said.

With pace bowler Kyle Jarvis and left arm spinner Sean Williams, who bowled brilliantly in the first Test, out, the bowling attack is not as strong as it was in the first Test. Christopher Mpofu is the only recoginised seamer and got to open the bowling with part timer Solomon Mire. When the two failed to find the penetration, skipper Graeme Cremer brought himself to bowl the 10th over.

Zimbabwe had earlier resumed from their overnight score of 169 for four, with Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza at the crease. The two went about building their partnership with some elegant strokes.

When their partnership was nearing 100 runs, Masakadza was tempted to hit a big shot by leg spinner Devendra Bishoo, but only succeeded in getting the ball up in the air and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich took an easy catch.

Masakadza went for 147 from 240 deliveries and hit 16 fours and two sixes.

Malcolm Waller continued with his poor batting form, going for a first ball duck, bowled by Kraigg Brathwaite.

Regis Chakabva was next, attempting a sweep shot off the bowling of Bishoo for 10.

Raza reached his fifth Test fifty in style, with a six off Bishoo. Gabriel got the wicket of Raza, the batsman getting an outside edge to be taken at second slip by Kyle Hope.

Cremer was run out going for a single which was not there. Jason Holder made a direct hit to run out the Zimbabwean captain for 11. Chisoro was the last batsman out, trapped lbw by Roach for nine.

Roach was the most outstanding West Indies bowler with three wickets for 44 in 18.1 overs, while Bishoo and Gabriel had two apiece.

Cremer had a great chance to break the Windies’ opening partnership when Kieran Powell, who was on 11 runs, played a delivery straight at him, but the leg spinner could not execute the catch.

Powell went on to put an opening stand of 76 with Brathwaite. Cremer finally got the breakthrough when he had Braithwaite taken at first slip by Masakadza.

Powell had night watchman Bishoo for company at the crease at the close of play. The match heads into its third day this morning, with action starting 30 minutes early again due to the rain disruption.

@Mdawini_29