Tsiga helps Zim salvage draw
Zimbabwe 379 for 9 dec (Ballance 137*, Kaia 67, Joseph 3-75) and 134 for 6 (Chibhabha 31, Tsiga 24, Motie 4-50, Chase 2-9) drew with West Indies 447 for 6 dec (Chanderpaul 207*, Brathwaite 182, Mavuta 5-140) and 203 for 5 dec (Reifer 58, Blackwood 57, Masakadza 3-71, Evans 2-41)
GUDAKESH Motie put in a career-best performance to keep West Indies in the hunt for an unlikely win late on the fifth day, but the visitors just ran out of time as the opening Test against Zimbabwe ended in a draw at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.
After West Indies set Zimbabwe a target of 272 in about a session-and-a-half, Motie picked up 4 for 50 in 24 overs, leaving the hosts in all sorts of trouble, but the debutant wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga made an unbeaten 24 off 83 balls to bail his side out.
Zimbabwe had started the chase with positive intent with Tanunurwa Makoni getting two fours in the first over, which was bowled by Kemar Roach.
However, it did not take Motie long to strike as he lured Makoni into a drive and had him caught behind for 9. Chamu Chibhabha stuck a firm cover drive off Roach but was unsettled by Alzarri Joseph’s pace.
The fast bowler induced a thick outside edge off Chibhabha’s bat, but Joshua Da Silva was wrong-footed and the ball flew to the left of first slip.
Kaia and Chibhabha added 47 for the second wicket before Kaia flicked a simple catch to Kraigg Brathwaite at midwicket to give Motie his second wicket.
Chibhabha then departed next when he pushed a length ball from Roston Chase to Jermaine Blackwood who took a smart catch to his right at slip.
Motie then struck again as Zimbabwe slipped to 83 for 4 with still close to an hourand-half of the day’s play left.
However, Gary Ballance and Tsiga adopted a measured approach and helped Zimbabwe get closer to safety. West Indies tried a number of things, which included Jason Holder resorting to bowling offbreaks but the duo stood firm for 19 overs.
Chase then produced the breakthrough when he strangled Ballance down the leg side and in the next over Motie trapped Brad Evans in front.
But Tsiga remained resolute, while Wellington Masakadza faced 36 balls without scoring before the two teams shook hands as the opening Test ended in a stalemate. — ESPNcricinfo.