West Indies became the second team to qualify for the Super Eights stage of Cricket World Cup 2007 after completing a hard-fought six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe at Sabina Park yesterday.
After restricting Zimbabwe to 202 for five in 50 overs, the hosts reached their target for the loss of four wickets with 2.1 overs to spare.It was their second victory in succession, following a 54-run win over Pakistan in the opening match of the tournament and assured them of a place in the next phase of the competition.
Utilising a pitch that again helped the bowlers in the early stages, West Indies put Zimbabwe on the back foot and then their batsmen played within themselves on the way to attaining the target in 47.5 overs.
Openers Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul set them on their way with a partnership of 73 and after a bit of a slump that left West Indies 129 for four in the 33rd over, captain Brian Lara and Dwayne Bravo took them home with an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 75.
Lara ended the match with a six over mid-wicket to finish unbeaten 44, while Bravo made 37 not out.
Zimbabwe, batting first after losing the toss, were set back by the early loss of both openers and a further two wickets inside the first 20 overs recovered with a fifth wicket partnership of 83 in 23.4 overs between Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams and effective late hitting from Elton Chigumbura at the end.
Taylor played with caution to hit an even fifty off 121 balls that included just a single four and a straight six off Dwayne Smith.
The left-handed Williams played with more enterprise in a career-best 70 off 88 balls that included seven fours to win the Man-of-the-Match award.
After an uncertain start, Chigumbura struck a few meaty blows in his unbeaten 30 off 29 balls to help Zimbabwe score 60 from the last nine overs.
At the start, Jerome Taylor struck with his first ball by bowling over 18-year-old opener Friday Kasteni in the second over and Daren Powell followed suit in the next over when Vusi Sibanda was bowled offering no stroke.
Taylor claimed his second wicket with another ball of full length that went through Justice Chibhabha and Dwayne Smith tightened West Indies’ grip after removing Stuart Matsikenyeri to a catch at mid-on.
It left Zimbabwe 59 for four in the 18th over but they managed to halt the slide when Taylor and Williams were together.
For West Indies, Taylor finished with two for 42 from his ten overs, while Gayle and Collymore, who were both wicketless, conceded a shade over three runs an over.
Gayle and Chanderpaul provided West Indies with a sound opening stand before falling in successive overs.
The highlight of the partnership was when Gayle smashed three sixes off successive balls at the start of an over from fast bowler Tawanda Mupariwa that prompted thoughts of equalling Herschelle Gibbs’ record six sixes against the Netherlands at Warner Park in St Kitts on Friday.
Gayle, whose 40 came from 48 balls, lifted the first ball over the bowler’s end, swung the second over wide mid-wicket and also struck the third for a straight six. Mupariwa responded with three good balls to keep Gayle scoreless for the remainder of the over.
After Chanderpaul edged a low catch to slip, Gayle fell in the next over to good piece of reflex work by Sibanda at slip who held a fine catch after wicketkeeper Taylor dropped the initial chance.
Zimbabwe gave themselves a chance when Anthony Ireland took a return catch to account for Ramnaresh Sarwan and Marlon Samuels sliced a catch to backward point to be dismissed for 28, but West Indies got home thanks to Lara and Bravo.
A restrained Lara struck two fours, while Bravo counted three fours and two sixes, but both batsmen were let off by Zimbabwe.
Lara survived a difficult return chance to Chigumbura on 28, while Bravo was dropped by Anthony Ireland running in from third-man when he was 32.
