Zimbabwe v West Indies - Clive Lloyd Trophy (2 Tests)

[Sammo360]

Fixtures
1st Test: February 04 - 08, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
2nd Test: February 12 - 16, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Zimbabwe Squad
Craig Ervine (c), Gary Ballance, Chamu Chibhabha, Tanaka Chivanga, Brad Evans, Joylord Gumbie, Innocent Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Wellington Masakadza, Kudzai Maunze, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano, Tafadzwa Tsiga

West Indies Squad
Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood (vc), Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Devon Thomas, Jomel Warrican

Live coverage on icc.tv

Zimbabwe are missing a heap of players. Their best player and captain Sean Williams is injured. Also injured are fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara. Middle order batsmen Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl are unavailable due to T20 franchise cricket and wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva appears to have moved to Australia. They do get Gary Ballance who will play his first Test since leaving England.

West Indies look pretty full strength. A similar team to the one that was beaten by Australia in the 1st Test. Jayden Seales is injured but Shannon Gabriel returns.

 

[PhatBoy]

Literally sitting in my bath with a dart and a long neck after making a half-century today watching this with my iPad on a music stand. Doesn’t get much better

 

[WeMissYouMarkCoughlan]

Where are you watching this epic?

 

[danielnajdek]

Sounded like a exciting day of cricket…..

 

[PhatBoy]

Where are you watching this epic?

ICC website. Just sign up for membership and it’s free to stream

 

[PhatBoy]

Sounded like a exciting day of cricket…..

I’m sure for the half dozen Zimbabweans debuting in test cricket, the veteran left handed representing his country of birth for the first time, and the other guys there who haven’t played a test for nearly two years it was.

Pitch wasn’t great for batting or bowling, lack of DRS didn’t help as both batsmen survived close shouts.

 

[Sammo360]

Raining again. Looks like Queens is Zimbabwe's version of the SCG.

 

[ioppolo]

Raining again. Looks like Queens is Zimbabwe's version of the SCG.

Is it raining season? The ODIs vs Ireland were heavily affected too.

 

[PhatBoy]

Whisper it quietly: we have an opening combination.

 

[Sammo360]

Is it raining season? The ODIs vs Ireland were heavily affected too.

Yeah i think so. I think ideally they would play their home internationals in the winter/spring

Whisper it quietly: we have an opening combination.

It's about time they pick Chanderpaul. He'll get a good run in the team now and well deserved.

Too bad about your middle order.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Whisper it quietly: we have an opening combination.

They would want to get a wriggle on though it's day 3 and they are only 300. All wickets in hand they should be looking to attack the rest of the innings. You want to be going at least 3 runs an over considering they have been there for as long as they have.

 

[PhatBoy]

They would want to get a wriggle on though it's day 3 and they are only 300. All wickets in hand they should be looking to attack the rest of the innings. You want to be going at least 3 runs an over considering they have been there for as long as they have.

Most of their ‘crawl’ was first morning of the game so they can probably be excused a little. It was a fairly slow pitch.

Batting once is the only way this test gets a result so I’m happy if they bat until maybe tea tonight

 

[ioppolo]

389 of the 447 runs from the openers must be close to a record of some sort.

 

[PhatBoy]

389 of the 447 runs from the openers must be close to a record of some sort.

I thought the Campbell-Griffith stand at Dunedin represented a higher percentage but it didn’t. They were bowled out, though, and not due to throwing the bat.

We still have a real problem doing this, though: our lower order tends to do its best work digging us out of trouble, and can’t find its rhythm on the rare occasions they get put in that position.

 

[hawkman]

A shame that Zimbabwe could never keep their players. Ballance showing what they lost and would have made them more competitive in the last 10 years

 

[NYRB]

Need a WI sporting declaration to keep the game somewhat alive today. Would 220 in say 60 overs entice Zimbabwe?

 

[ioppolo]

Need a WI sporting declaration to keep the game somewhat alive today. Would 220 in say 60 overs entice Zimbabwe?

Only if Ervine and Ballance go at a decent clip

 

[Sammo360]

No intent from the West Indies so far. RR of 2

 

[NYRB]

A quick fire 50 runs after lunch on day 5 and send Zimbers back in should be the play here. Even then there is still rain on the horizon.

 

[NYRB]

Declaration

Zimbabwe needed 272 in about 49 overs , with weather permitting.

Think West Indies maybe batted about 10 overs too many here.

 

[Sammo360]

The weather is going to win.

 

[NYRB]

thats the first for Zimbabwe. But it would have to be a monumental blow up for Zimbers to lose from here.

 

[NYRB]

Zimbabwe 83/4 on the last day. Windies need 6 wickets


Ballance still yet to bat though.

 

[NYRB]

nice tight bowling from Motie there. This is why we love Test Cricket. Games that go deep to a 5th day.

 

[NYRB]

Jason Holder bowling spin . I never knew he had that in him.