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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
OFF spinner Sikandar Raza picked up his first ever five-wicket haul only for his brilliant effort to be overshadowed by West Indies surging ahead of Zimbabwe on day three of the second cricket Test at Queens Sports Club yesterday.

Raza was superb, picking up five wickets for 82 runs off 43 overs comprising 12 maiden overs.

His efforts were, however, eclipsed by a record breaking eighth-wicket stand of 144 between West Indies skipper Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich.

Raza became the first Zimbabwean slow bowler to take five wickets in a Test at Queens since left-arm spinner Raymond Price claimed five for 199 runs in the second Test against West Indies in November 2003.

Kieran Powell top scored for the tourists with 90 runs, while Dowrich ended the day with a career best unbeaten 75 and Holder was also not out on 71 leaving the visitors on 374 for seven, a lead of 48 runs from 150 overs.

It was a day in which things didn’t work out for the home team, as they dropped three catches and made two terrible reviews early into the West Indies innings.

Those costly errors returned to haunt skipper Graeme Cremer as Holder should have been out lbw on 11 off Raza’s bowling.

Raza was denied a sixth wicket with the first ball of his 31st over, with empire Kumar Dharmasena giving Holder not out.

Television replays, however, showed that he should have walked, but Zimbabwe had wasted their reviews and couldn’t seek a review.

The off spinner, considered more of a part time bowler, was delighted to finally take five wickets in a Test. He was also happy to play his part as an all-rounder since they were missing the services of pace bowler Kyle Jarvis and left-arm spinner Sean Williams.

“It’s quite a humbling and proud feeling to be honest and to see your team doing well while you have a fiver is certainly one of the roles that you have to play as an all-rounder. We always knew that missing Jarvis and Sean would be tough,” Raza said.

He shouldered the blame for the lbw decision that didn’t go his way because he was the one who wasted one of the reviews earlier in a bid to remove Powell.

“To be honest with you, I said to the captain I think I deserve that because I went for a review that I shouldn’t have when we took the review on Powell, so it couldn’t have happened to a better guy than me,” said Raza.

Cremer could have had his second wicket early in the third day’s play when Bishoo on 20 skied the ball. Brendan Taylor seemed to have it under control, but shockingly dropped the catch. Luckily the drop didn’t cost much, as Bishoo added three more runs before being caught and bowled by Raza.

Kyle Hope didn’t last at the crease and went for one run after being trapped lbw by Raza. Cremer put Powell down once again on 85, off his own bowling after the batsman hit the ball straight at the bowler, who couldn’t hold onto the catch.

Christopher Mpofu had Powell superbly caught by Ervine at gully in his second over with the second new ball. Powell had faced 230 deliveries and spent 306 minutes at the crease, dispatching seven fours.

Left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro could have picked up his first wicket in Test cricket when Shai Hope edged his delivery only for wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva to put down the chance.

Raza picked up his third wicket by trapping Roston Chase lbw for 32, as he attempted the reverse sweep. Jermaine Blackwood didn’t last at the crease and was Raza’s fourth wicket when he was caught at mid wicket by Cremer.

Raza’s fifth wicket was that of Shai Hope, whose off stump he rattled for 40.

The partnership between Dowrich and Holder frustrated the home team as both batsmen went on to notch up half centuries.

Zimbabwe have to put up a fine show this morning if they are to thwart West Indies from recording a huge first innings lead.

West Indies 374-7 (Powell 90, Dowrich 75*, Holder 71*, Raza 5/82) lead Zimbabwe 326 (Masakadza 147, Raza 80, Moor 52, Roach 3/44) by 48 runs

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