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10-Mar-2010 23:30:00 GMT
West Indies v Zimbabwe, 3rd ODI, Kingstown

Sammy Give Windies Series Lead Against Zimbabwe

Kingstown: Zimbabwe were undermined by Darren Sammy's career-best spell of four wickets for 26 runs from 10 overs as he led West Indies to a 141-run win over the visitors in the third ODI on Wednesday.

Chasing 246 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, Zimbabwe were dismissed for 104 in 31.5 overs - the lowest ODI total at the Arnos Vale Multiplex - to hand West Indies a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

"I am really happy with the result, and I am happy we continued from where we left off in Guyana," said West Indies captain Chris Gayle.

"Hopefully, we can continue in this vein, and finish off the job on Friday, and win the series. This is no time to relax.

"We still have to play hard cricket because we know that Zimbabwe will be coming back hard at us again."

Hamilton Masakadza hit the top-score of 35 for Zimbabwe, but no other batsman made more than 20, as the West Indies fast bowlers made light work of their batting line-up.

Sammy's supporting cast of Kemar Roach captured three for 28 from nine overs, and Dwayne Bravo in his 100th ODI appearance for West Indies took two for 23 from seven overs.

"We failed to bat properly," said Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya. "We felt chasing 240 should have been too much of a challenge, but we just did not bat well.

"The West Indies' bowlers made use of the conditions well. They bowled in the right areas, and they deserved to win.

"We only have a day to sort ourselves out, but it is important that we come back strongly."

Zimbabwe had allowed West Indies to wriggle free, after their spinners again tied down the home team's top-order batsmen.

The Zimbabweans, however, failed to keep a lid on the West Indies scoring, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit the top score of 58 from 76 balls, as the home team fought back to reach a respectable 245 for nine from their 50 overs.

Zimbabwe then suffered an early setback, when Roach bowled Vusimuzi Sibanda for a duck with the third ball of the chase.

Brendan Taylor joined Masakadza, and got them moving with a stand of 51 for the second wicket before he gave a firm return catch to Sammy in the 10th over to trigger a collapse.

In the space of 21 balls, Zimbabwe slid from 51 for one to 58 for five, as Sammy also removed Tatenda Taibu and Masakadza caught behind, and Bravo trapped Stuart Matsikenyeri lbw for a first-ball duck.

The Zimbabweans never recovered, and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller formalised the victory for West Indies, when he had Ray Price caught at short cover for four.

The visitors lost their last five wickets for 32 runs in the space of 92 balls.

Earlier, Zimbabwe misread the nature of the hard, true pitch, and packed their side with five spinners, when they added teenaged leg-spinner Timycen Maruma to their line-up.

The decision seemed to have paid dividends, when the Zimbabweans had restricted West Indies to 84 for one at the halfway stage, after Gayle was stumped off Utseya for 33 in the 16th over.

Zimbabwe tightened their grip, when Adrian Barath was caught at long-on off Utseya for 35 in the 26th over, but Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin revived West Indies with a stand of 65 for the third wicket.

Maruma made the breakthrough, when he had Ramdin caught at mid-wicket for 19 off the penultimate ball of the 39th over, and next delivery, Chanderpaul was run out, when he failed to beat Utsey's direct hit at the striker's end from backward square leg to leave West Indies 151 for four.

Zimbabwe then loosened their grip, as West Indies made a late charge with Dwayne Bravo getting 24 and Narsingh Deonarine 21.

Elton Chigumbura was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with two wickets for 43 runs from his allotment of 10 overs, and Utseya took two for 47 from 10 overs.

The last two ODIs will be played at this venue on Friday and Sunday.

Brief scores
West Indies:
245 for 9 (Chanderpaul 58, Barath 35, Chigumbura 2-43)
Zimbabwe: 104 (Sammy 4-26, Roach 3-28)
Result: West Indies won by 141 runs
MOM: Darren Sammy (West Indies)


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