Bulawayo, Feb 7 (IANS) Openers Kraigg Brathwaite (182) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (207 not out) added 336 runs for the first wicket, raising the highest first-wicket stand for the Caribbeans as they posted 447/6 declared in their first innings in the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club here.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul completed his double hundred off 465 balls, hitting 16 fours and three sixes in the process. He and skipper Brathwaite put West Indies in the driver’s seat in a Test which has been marred by rain at the start.
They improved on the previous record held by Gordan Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, who had scored 298 runs for the opening wicket in 1990.
The West Indies’ domination was further established when they reduced Zimbabwe to 114/3 in their first innings. Zimbabwe maintained their chances with Innocent Kala scoring an unbeaten 59 off 115 deliveries that kept the hosts’ hopes alive. But the
After a number of valiant stands during the tough tour of Australia, the new West Indies opening pair came to the fore at Bulawayo. The rain breaks did little to disrupt the duo’s concentration as they piled on the misery on Zimbabwe bowlers.
Brathwaite took the lead in run-scoring, adding 182 runs while his partner Chanderpaul contributed 148 to the stand. This effort augurs well for the future of West Indies Test batting.
Tagenarine became the 10th player from West Indies to convert his maiden Test hundred into a double century. He also joined his father Shivnarine in scoring a double century in Test cricket.
Though 99 overs have been lost to rain in this Test, West Indies had managed only 221 runs in the first two days and had to score at a first clip to set themselves for a big score. But once Brathwaite was out, only Kyle Mayers lasted 24 balls for 20 runs. Brandon Mavuta claimed his first five-wicket haul for 5-140 as Zimbabwe hampered West Indies’ progress.
Kaia and Tanunurwa Makoni put on a solid 63-run opening stand in Zimbabwe’s first innings before Alzarri Joseph gave West Indies the first breakthrough and Gudakesh Motie had Chamu Chibhabha caught behind for his maiden Test wicket.
Kaia went on to hit a fifty on his Test debut and he and Craig Ervine looked set to take Zimbabwe through to the end of the play, but Brathwaite came in to bowl and castled his counterpart as West Indies finished the day on a strong note.
West Indies 447/6d in 143 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 182, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 207 not out; Brandon Mavuta 5-140) v Zimbabwe 114/3 in 41.4 overs (Innocent Kala batting 59, Tanunurwa Makoni 33; Alzarri Joseph1-250.
–IANS
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