Cricket
Darren Bravo stars for Windies
2013-02-27 07:03
Grenada - West Indies swept their one-day international series against Zimbabwe
3-0 on Tuesday after making comparatively heavy weather of what should
have been a leisurely pursuit of 212 before reaching their target for
the loss of five wickets in the third and final one-day international in
Guyana.
Darren Bravo's unbeaten 72 piloted the home team to victory, the
left-hander earning both the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series
awards following on his maiden ODI hundred in the first match on Friday.
Kieran Powell contributed 42 at the top of the order while the effort of
young wrist-spinners Natsai M'Shangwe and debutant Tinotenda Mutombodzi
offered some encouragement for the Zimbabweans ahead of the two T20
fixtures to be played at the weekend in Antigua.
VIDEO: West Indies v Zimbabwe: 3rd ODI Highlights
Mutombodzi removed Ramnaresh Sarwan caught-and-bowled with just his
third delivery in senior international cricket and also accounted for
Powell to a catch at long-on.
There were a few moments of anxiety for the West Indies when the
dismissal of Narsingh Deonarine by Hamilton Masakadza was followed by
the running out of Kieron Pollard for a duck without facing a ball to
leave the home side at 121 for four.
However skipper Dwayne Bravo steadied the innings in partnership with
his younger brother and it was left to wicketkeeper-batsman Denesh
Ramdin to accompany Darren Bravo at the crease when the winning runs
were struck, the captain falling to Kyle Jarvis with the result
virtually assured.
Disciplined work by the West Indies in the field had restricted Zimbabwe
to 211 for nine after the visitors chose to bat first again.
The home side's bowlers kept wayward deliveries to a minimum and reaped
the reward against the Zimbabweans, a couple of whom got decent starts
but weren't able to carry on as occurred in the second ODI on Sunday
when three got past the 50-run mark.
Chamu Chibhabha, strangely demoted to number seven in the order, gave
the innings some respectability with an unbeaten 48, his side's top
score.
Playing his first match of the series in place of all-rounder Andre
Russell, left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul was the most successful of
the Caribbean bowlers, claiming three for 40 off his 10-over allotment.
His dismissal of Zimbabwean captain Brendan Taylor (39) proved crucial
in stalling the tourists' efforts and the Guyanese player added the
wickets of Malcolm Waller and Regis Chakabva to complete a satisfying
morning's work.
At the top of the order, Vusi Sibanda promised a substantial innings,
but yet again failed to carry on from a good start, falling to fast
bowler Tino Best for 41.