Brathwaite struck five fours in 80 from 117 balls, and Parris hit five fours and two sixes in 73 from 94 balls, as the Vice Chancellor’s XI, chasing 282 for victory from their allocation of 50 overs, just failed to reach their target.
Taibu collected 11 fours in 107 from 92 balls, as Zimbabwe, choosing to bat, were dismissed for 281 in 49.2 overs.
The Vice Chancellor’s XI wobbled to 39 for two before Brathwaite and Parris came together to put the visitors under pressure with a stand of 136 for the third wicket.
Brathwaite, one of the bright lights in the West Indies Under-19s at last month’s Youth World Cup in New Zealand, again showed his class. He batted with maturity and played well within himself, and was prepared to play second fiddle to Parris.
Parris was caught in the deep off Kyle Jarvis going for one too many big shots, and Zimbabwe gradually got back into the match.
Brathwaite was caught behind off Shingirai Masakadza to leave the Vice Chancellor’s XI on 203 for five.
Yannic Cariah and Shane Dowrich continued to whittle away at the remaining runs in a stand of 40 for the seventh wicket.
But they both fell to Elton Chigumbura, and though the Vice Chancellor’s XI got 14 of the 20 they needed from the final over, their chance of victory had long faded.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE (maximum 50 overs)
V. Sibanda c Hutchinson b Brathwaite 27
*H. Masakadza c Stoute b Penco 38
C. Coventry c wkpr Dowrich b Griffith 23
+T. Taibu run out 107
S. Matsikenyeri b Cariah 23
G. Lamb lbw b Cariah 16
E. Chigumbura run out 5
T. Maruma run out 5
S. Masakadza c Cariah b Parris 9
K. Jarvis c wkpr Dowrich b Parris 6
C. Mpofu not out 6
Extras (lb4, w10, nb2) 16
TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 281
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-85, 3-107, 4-175, 5-201, 6-219, 7-226, 8-253, 9-275
Bowling: Brathwaite 8-1-36-1 (nb1, w2); Hutchinson 4-0-25-0 (w3); Stoute 8-0-53-0 (nb1, w1); Griffith 10-0-55-1 (w2); Penco 5-0-25-1; Cariah 10-0-43-2; Parris 4.2-0-40-2 (w2)
UWI VICE CHANCELLOR’S XI (target: 282 off 50 overs)
K. Brathwaite c wkpr Taibu b S. Masakadza 80
*S. Jackson lbw b Mpofu 1
A. D’Andrade c Lamb b Mpofu 10
N. Parris c Matsikenyeri b Jarvis 73
K. Stoute b Maruma 5
J. Griffith c Sibanda b Jarvis 14
Y. Carriah c Matsikenyeri b Chigumbura 24
+S. Dowrich c Sibanda b Chigumbura 23
S. Penco not out 4
R. Brathwaite not out 13
Extras (lb7, w10, nb12) 29
TOTAL (8 wkts, 50 overs) 276
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-39, 3-175, 4-195, 5-203, 6-217, 7-257, 8-257
Bowling: Mpofu 9-0-65-2 (nb1, w4); S. Masakadza 9-0-37-1 (nb4, w2); Jarvis 10-0-54-2 (nb6); Chigumbura 7-0-27-2 (w1); H. Masakadza 4-0-15-0; Maruma 7-0-51-0 (w2); Lamb 4-0-20-0
Result: Zimbabwe won by five runs
Umpires: S. Gopaul, A. Sanowar
Man-of-the-Match: Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe)
