Windies win series as rain forces draw

Marcus Prior

Persistent rain on the final day forced the second Test between Zimbabwe and the West Indies to be abandoned as a draw on Tuesday, giving the visitors their first series victory away in six years.

West Indies, chasing 348 for victory, were 98 for one wicket when the game was abandoned. Chris Gayle was 52 not out while Ramnaresh Sarwan was 31 not out.

Gayle was named man of the series after his 175 in the first Test in Bulawayo, while 17 year-old schoolboy Hamilton Masakadza, who became the youngest player to score a century on debut, was the man of the match.

The rain brought a premature end to a game which both sides dominated at different times.

The West Indies looked almost certain winners when they took a first innings leads lead of 216, but Zimbabwe fought back thanks to Masakadza's century, and career-best scores for Craig Wishart (93) and Andy Blignaut (92).

The game looked set for a compelling conclusion on the final day with some tight Zimbabwe bowling from Blignaut, who bowled four consecutive maidens, and left-arm spinner Raymond Price who troubled the batsmen with the occasional sharply-turned delivery, looked to tie the batsmen down.

Price should have had Sarwan stumped while on 24, but school-boy wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, who had earlier left the field for attention to an eye problem, failed to take the ball cleanly.

Gayle, who began the day by twice hitting Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak through mid-off for four and Price's first delivery of the morning to the midwicket boundary, then began to capitalise on a good wicket.

He was lucky to escape on 46 in the over before lunch when he smashed a full toss from Masakadza straight back to the bowler who dropped the tough chance.

But Gayle's second test half-century in between the showers in the afternoon and Sarwan's dogged play showed the home side would have struggled to bowl the tourists out before the game was abandoned.

Mail Cricket Editor