1st Test: Sammy blitz puts West Indies on top

Zimbabwe struggle at 41 for three on Day two.

BARBADOS: West Indies bagged three Zimbabwe wickets late on day two to move into a commanding position in the first Test in Barbados.

Zimbabwe reached the close on a precarious 41 for three in their second innings, trailing West Indies by 55 runs, as they battled with the fiery pace of the host’s three fast bowlers and the guile of off-spinner Shane Shillingford.

The tourists’ captain Brendan Taylor will resume on day three having yet to get off the mark and he will be key to Zimbabwe’s chances of posting a defendable total.

Nightwatchman Ray Price (seven*) was the other batsman at the crease at close.     Zimbabwe faced a first-innings deficit of almost a hundred and took their score to 25 before Tino Mawoyo (9) chased a wide delivery from Shannon Gabriel and edged to Darren Sammy at second slip.

Earlier, big-hitting by West Indies captain Sammy helped his side to a respectable first-innings total as they were bowled out for 307 after recovering from 151 for six.

Sammy blasted 73 at better than a run a ball as he added 106 for the seventh wicket with Denesh Ramdin before being bowled by Masakadza.

Resuming in the morning on 18 for two, Chris Gayle (40), Darren Bravo (11) and Marlon Samuels (51) fell before lunch.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2013.