By Marlon Munroe
After West Indian cricket fans jumped and pranced for most of the day, their mien was ultimately transformed into utter stupor after their team was again humiliated by Zimbabwe in the first One Day International at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
The look on their faces as they exited the stadium after braving the elements to rally around the home team showed sheer disgust and disappointment.
Gayle’s summation was apt when dejectedly he told media operatives at the post match briefing he was “grossly disappointed in the end; it was rubbish.”
Wicketkeeper and vice captain Denesh Ramdin, Indian Premier League (IPL) number one pick Keiron Pollard and all rounder Dwayne Smith felt the wrath of Gayle especially when better sense should have prevailed at the time they threw their wickets away. The skipper said he was disappointed with their performances adding that he expected more from them.
The Zimbabweans, however are brimming with confidence as captain Prosper Utseya admitting after the game that if his team posted 250 or more on the board, it was going to defend that total.
The off-spinner, who opened the bowling for his team with left-arm leg-spinner Raymond Price, pointed out that the win was for the people of Zimbabwe and he was proud of his players for their herculean effort and for holding their nerves near the end.
Right arm medium pacer Shingirai Masakadza, who has a strike rate of 12, bowled the last over of the day with the Caribbean team needing 15 runs for victory and finished with 3-36 from his three overs.
Right handed batsman Nikita Miller hit him for a six then a four of the first two balls of the over. Pandemonium broke out around the ground as the 255 victory target was now going to be certain with balls to spare.
But in true West Indian fashion that many have become accustomed to Smith was bowled for four off the fourth ball as Masakadza conceded only one run off his last three deliveries. The number eight team in the ICC rankings eventually finished on 252-9 after the Africans had posted an admirable 254-5.
The chief contributor to the Zimbabwean total was opening batsman Vusimuzi Sibanda who scored a solid, patient 95 that conspired to cast WI prolific middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s run-a-ball 70, Gayle’s 57 and Adrian Barath’s even 50 into insignificance. The trio, along with Narsingh Deonarine (17) before his premature run out, warmed the hearts of their fans with their batting but the debacle that ensued gave credence to the West Indies team’s dependence on a few players.
Sibanda also got great support from the diminutive Tatenda Taibu who scored 56 and opening batsman Hamilton Masakadza who made an aggressive 41. Pollard took two wickets for 53 runs from his 10 overs and he got assistance from pacer Kemar Roach, who broke the bat of Sibanda with a ‘yorker’ that dismissed him, and left arm spinner Miller with one wicket apiece.
Gayle and Barath started their reply confidently and it was felt then that the two would have taken the team past the Zimbabwe total. They batted with sense and patience and occasionally gave the fans something to gyrate about.
When Gayle settled in he pulled off spinner Utseya for six over midwicket and then broke a window when he hoisted the same bowler back over his head in the next over. Later in the over he caressed Utseya through the extra cover region to bring up the team’s 50 in the 14th over.
Barath started to come into his own with his own array of shots before spinner Gregory Lamb broke a 99-run opening partnership when he had Gayle trapped in front after facing 62 balls and hitting three sixes and two fours. Barath shortly after brought up his 50 with a boundary off right arm pacer Elton Chigumbura but was bowled the ball after by an inside edge.
The stylish batman stroked four fours and a six.
Chanderpaul and Deonarine’s partnership was highlighted by their running between the wicket and the confident stroke play. However, Chanderpaul turned a delivery to short fine leg and after committing to the run, turned back leaving Deonarine stranded. Subsequently, Chanderpaul shifted gear when he stepped inside the line of a Chigumbura delivery and lifted him for six over backward square leg.
He was eventually caught by Chigumbura off the bowling Masakadza for 70 and the earlier foundation set by the top order started to shake before the Windies finally folded. Zimbabwe began with a 67-run opening partnership, cruising with Hamilton Masakadza being the more aggressive partner with Sibanda content to work the ball around for singles.
Masakadza’s aggression was tamed when he attempted one of his many sweep shots and was lbw to Miller for 41. Sibanda continued with Taibu and the two broke Zimbabwe’s previous second wicket stand of 64 with a 100-run stand before Taibu was lbw to Pollard for 56 off 54 balls with five boundaries.
Sibanda brought up his 50 off 92 balls but was dropped on 78 before the team surpassed their previous highest score of 251 in West Indies. Sibanda, when he was bowled had faced 162 balls and hit five fours and a six in his stay at the crease.
