West Indies v Zimbabwe

Caribbean Calypso
Apart from the India V Bermuda match, the other match that was played on Monday was the Group D match between hosts West Indies and Zimbabwe. Off late, the Zimbabwean team has declined greatly and after the tie with Ireland, it was always going to be very difficult for the Zimbabweans to surmount the Caribbean challenge.

West Indian Call
The Match Referee, Roshan Mahanama tossed the coin and West Indian captain Brian Lara won the toss and elected to field first on a pitch, which did not have too much of grass and was considered as a good batting pitch. This was not a bad proposition for the Zimbabwean team as they had the opportunity to put runs on the scoreboard and put pressure on the opposition.

Disastrous Start for Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwean openers, Vusimuzi Sibanda and Friday Kasteni were expected to put on a good opening partnership for the middle order to capitalize upon. However, the team got a rude shock after both the openers fell in the 2nd and 3rd over of the inning. Kasteni was bowled for a duck by Jerome Taylor, while Sibanda was bowled by Powell at the Zimbabwean score of 2 runs. The third wicket for Zimbabwe to fallwas of Chamunorwa Chibhabha, who was back in the pavilion after scoring 12 runs. He too was bowled by Jerome Taylor in 10th over of the inning with the Zimbabwean score at 31.

Rebuilding Work
After the fall of these three wickets, Brendon Taylor and Stuart Matsikenyeri were at the crease and were trying to stabilize the Zimbabwean innings when Matsikenyeri fell on a personal score of 16, leaving his team tottering at 59 for 4. After the exit of Matsikenyeri, SC Williams came . It was Taylor and Williams who took on the responsibility of consolidating the Zimbabwean innings and slowly clawed their way back. Both put on a crucial partnership of 83 runs before Taylor was unfortunately run out to a brilliant piece of work from Bravo and Samuels. At that time the Zimbabwean score was 142, and the 41st over had just been completed.

Steering to a Respectable Total
After Brendon Taylor’s exit, it was E. Chigumbura who came to the crease. He had his task cut out, which was to give maximum strike to Williams and lead Zimbabwe to a somewhat respectable total. Chigumbura did not let his team down and remained unbeaten after scoring quick 30 runs from 29 balls. Williams was the top scorer for Zimbabwe by scoring 70 not out runs from 88 balls. Zimbabwe managed to cross the 200 mark and made a total of 202 runs for the loss of 5 wkts in their 50 overs.

West Indian Charge
The Zimbabwean total never looked very daunting for West Indies and after a quick start from the Caribbean openers, Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the total became even more insignificant. The opening partnership was of 73 runs, when Chanderpaul got out at an individual score of 21 runs. Four balls later, Chris Gayle was out on 40 runs from 48 balls with the West Indian score static at 73.

Brief Slump
After the opening partnership, the West Indian innings experienced a brief slump. The talented batsmen, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Marlon Samuels could not contribute greatly to the West Indian total and were back in the pavilion very early. Sarwan was out for just 12 runs while Samuels made only 28 runs and the 4th wkt fell on the completion of 33rd over..

Lara Sees West Indies Home
With West Indies at 129 for 4, in walked the West Indian captian Brian Lara. It was the partnership between Lara and Dwayne Bravo that eventually saw West Indies safely home with 13 balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Lara finished the innings in style after he hit Chigumbura for a six over wide long-on and saw West Indies safely home. With this win the West Indies confirmed its place in the Super eight round and became the second team to advance to the next round after the defending champions, Australia. However, the man of the match was the Zimbabwean batsman, SC Williams, who was the top scorer in the match with 70 runs.