ZIM v WI, 3rd ODI Review: Zimbabwe holds West Indies for an inspiring draw

Published - 19 Nov 2016, 21:31 IST | Updated - 19 Nov 2016, 21:31 IST

4 Min Read

The Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo drowned in a festive mood as the third ODI of the ongoing Tr-series ended in a highly dramatic fashion. Hosts Zimbabwe produced an appreciable bowling performance and did not crumble under the pressure to restrict West Indies for 257/8 while defending a modest target of 258. The visitors, despite all the batting efforts from Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope, could not to take the decisive single which was required off the last ball and failed to cross the finishing line.

With both Sri Lanka and West Indies gaining bonus points from their opening wins, the pressure was on Zimbabwe to stop the tri-series from becoming a two-horse race. And, as the Zimbabwean crowd was eagerly expecting, they put out a commendable team effort.

It was an evenly fought contest where the momentum of the game kept swinging from one team to the other. West Indies bowlers made a good comeback into the game after the Ervine – Raza produced a batting special. Later on, Kraigg Brathwaite (78) and Shai Hope (101) gave Zimbabwe nervous moments with their fighting batting display. There were plenty of fielding brilliances also on display with both the teams. While West Indies is a proven fielding side, the hosts, who sometimes let crucial chances, pouched every opportunity that came their way today.

The Zimbabweans began their defense pretty well. The West Indies opening pair of Johnson Charles and Kraigg Brathwaite could add only 33 runs before Donald Tiripano gave his team their first breakthrough in the form of Charles’ wicket in the 8th over. Another success followed shortly when Evin Lewis failed to dispatch a loose delivery from Cremer and was caught in at long- off.

His dismissal brought together Brathwaite and Shai Hope. The pair looked in no discomfort and thwarted the Zimbabwean bowling attack to add 162 runs for the 3rd wicket. The duo resorted to batting calculated approach as West Indies inched closer and closer towards a win. But, as the match reached it final overs, the bowling side pulled up their socks and made a great comeback.

Chris Mpofu bowled the match turning 48th over where he claimed two quick wickets to bring back his team into the contest. Hope, just after completing his maiden ODI century, was removed off the first delivery of the over. Two balls later, Rovman Powell was cleaned up. The tension grew with each ball from thereon before the final over of the match arrived which saw three wickets fall and Zimbabwe successfully escaping defeat. With one required off the last ball eventually, the crowd went berserk when wicket-keeper Peter Moor hit the stumps accurately to ensure that the most important run of the Windies innings could not be completed.

Earlier, Zimbabwe’s captain Graeme Cremer sprang a surprise at the toss when he chose to bat on an overcast morning in Bulawayo. The cloudy skies and the damp atmosphere would have made one opt to bow first but Cremer though differently. The openers were content to take the patient approach up front, with openers Brian Chari and Chamu Chibhabha reaching 38 without loss from the first 11 overs. But, Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel were more than happy to exploit the conditions.

Zimbabwe, however, lost their rhythm due to a chaotic mix-up that resulted in the dismissal of Chibhabha for 25 in the 12th over. Two overs later, Chari fell to a special running catch from Holder. The next 25 overs belonged to Zimbabwe. Ervine and Raza batted patiently and rotated the strike well apart from finding boundaries as Zimbabwe found momentum yet again. The alliance added 144 runs to notch up Zimbabwe´s highest third-wicket stand against the West Indies in the process.

But, shortly, the hosts lost their direction when the Raza- Ervine stand was brought to an end by Carlos Brathwaite. In the 39th over, Raza holed out one straight to Kraigg Brathwaite in the long-off region to mark the beginning of the collapse. Sitting at 190/3 at the time of Raza’s departure failed to capitalize on the platform.

Unsuccessful slogs and heaves followed as wickets tumbled in a succession, with Brathwaite taking two further scalps to finish with figures of 4 for 48. Ervine missed out on a hundred when he chipped Shannon Gabriel to long-on in the 47th over. In all, Zimbabwe lost their last eight wickets for the addition of just 67 runs, with only one of the batsmen below Ervine and Raza reaching double figures. Carlos Brathwaite broke a stump to dismiss last man Chris Mpofu and mark the end of Zimbabwe’s innings.

Brief Scores:

Zimbabwe: 257 all out (Craig Ervine 92; Carlos Brathwaite 4/48)

West Indies: 257/8 (Shai Hope 101; Donald Tiripano 2/26)

Man of the Match: Shai Hope