ZIM LOSE. . . Next game against UAE a must-win Half-centuries from Evin Lewis, Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels combined to outdo a fantastic century from Brendan Taylor (right), keeping West Indies well in the hunt for World Cup qualification at Harare Sports Club yesterday
Half-centuries from Evin Lewis, Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels combined to outdo a fantastic century from Brendan Taylor (right), keeping West Indies well in the hunt for World Cup qualification at Harare Sports Club yesterday

Half-centuries from Evin Lewis, Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels combined to outdo a fantastic century from Brendan Taylor (right), keeping West Indies well in the hunt for World Cup qualification at Harare Sports Club yesterday

Mehluli Sibanda in Harare
West Indies 290-6 (Samuels 86, Hope 75, Lewis 64, Muzarabani 2/36, Cremer 2/63) beat Zimbabwe 289 (Taylor 138, Mire 45, Holder 4/35, Roach 3/55) by four wickets

WEST Indies put on hold Zimbabwe’s celebrations, handing the host nation their first defeat in the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup Qualifier at Harare Sports Club when they won by four wickets yesterday.

The defeat means that Zimbabwe must now beat United Arab Emirates at the same venue on Thursday to secure one of the two available spots to next year’s Cricket World Cup in England. West Indies, now on top of the log, take on Scotland in their last match of the Super Six stage tomorrow with whoever wins that contest guaranteed of a place in the final and a ticket to England.

Half centuries by man of the match, Marlon Samuels (86), Shai Hope (75) and Evan Lewis (64) took West Indies over the line. A brilliant hundred by Brendan Taylor, his tenth One Day International ton, went to waste with Zimbabwe ending up on the losing side.

Taylor struck a superb hundred, his tenth in One Day Internationals to guide Zimbabwe to 289 in 50 overs. He put away 20 fours and two sixes to finish with 138, to equal his second highest score in ODIs. Taylor was involved in crucial partnerships which took Zimbabwe to what seemed like a defendable, putting on 51 with Craig Ervine, 76 with Sean Williams and 79 with Sikandar Raza.

A great fight back with the ball by West Indies captain Jason Holder prevented Zimbabwe from posting a score above 300 runs. The pace bowler bowled brilliantly to end up with four wickets for 35 runs in 10 overs.

Taylor attributed the loss to not being sharp on the field which saw them give away some runs which they could have stopped. He felt that the bowlers did well against a batting attack that usually flourishes on scoring boundaries and big hits.

“We probably leaked 20 runs on the field and thats what hurt us in the end, I think the bowlers fought hard against a batting attack thats sort of thrives on boundaries and big hits so we leaked too many runs and unfortunately thats been our downfall for today,’’ Taylor said.

Zimbabwe, after skipper Graeme Cremer had won the toss and chose to bat, were in all sorts of trouble as early as the second over, Cephas Zhuwao gone for a five-duck, gloving one from Holder to be taken by Keemo Paul. Serious questions will now be asked about Zhuwao’s role in the team.

Holder struck again, Masakadza getting an outside edge for seven, taken behind by Hope. Opener Solomon Mire retired hurt after being struck in the face by a rising delivery by Kemar Roach. Fortunately, Mire returned to score a valuable 45.

Taylor and Craig Ervine played some gorgeous shots until the latter perished for 14, chopping one from Kemar Roach onto his own stumps to be bowled.

Williams made 34 off 31, falling to Keemo Paul, taken at cover by Ashley Nurse. He became the eight Zimbabwean player to get to 3000 ODI runs.

Lewis was dropped at backward point by Raza off Kyle Jarvis’ bowling. A bowling change did the trick, pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani picking up the massive wicket of Gayle, taken in the deep by Jarvis.

Lewis got his second ODI half century before he departed, caught and bowled by a gleeful Raza. By the time he was dismissed, the left hander had put on 72 for the second wicket with Hope.

Samuels and Hope tore the Zimbabwean bowling attack apart with some explosive batting before the former became Muzarabani’s second wicket, caught behind by Taylor.

Hope followed shortly, left arm spinner Williams getting him brilliantly taken by Raza.  Cremer struck to get Holder taken close to the boundary by Raza and picked up his second, Shimron Hetmyer stumped by Taylor.

The late flurry of wickets gave Zimbabwe some hope of a comeback but Rovman Powell made sure that the Windies walked away victorious with an unbeaten 15.

Super Sixes
M    W    L    PT    NRR
WI     4    3    1    6    0.529
ZIM     4    2    1    5    0.520
SCOT     4    2    1    5    0.315
IRE     4    2    2    4    0.474
AFG     3    1    2    2    -0.023
UAE     3    0    3    0    -2.493

@Mdawini_29

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