ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Apr 16, CMC – West Indies A were making a strong reply to Zimbabwe’s paltry 183 all out, after Tatenda Taibu missed out on a century on the opening day of their four-day first class match at Queen’s Park Stadium yesterday.

At the close, the hosts were coasting at 51 without loss, already just 132 runs behind and in a position to take control of the game today.

Taibu, a former Zimbabwe captain, stroked a shot-filled, unbeaten 86, an innings that formed the backbone of the Zimbabwe innings after they were sent in to bat.

The aggressive, 26-year-old right-hander hammered 10 fours from 129 balls and shared in two successive partnerships that bolstered Zimbabwe’s innings after they were setback early by two strikes from pacer Nelon Pascal.

With the visitors struggling at 13 for two after the right-arm speedster had knocked over Hamilton Masakadza (0) and Brendan Taylor (4) cheaply, Taibu added 58 for the third wicket with Chamu Chibhabha to steady the innings.

The well-organised Chibhabha stroked 40 from 51 balls with nine fours before he was bowled by 21-year-old fast bowler Shannon Gabriel. Taibu then posted another 51 for the fourth wicket with Chris Ervine who smacked four fours in 22 from 32 balls.

When Ervine became the first of leg-spinner Imran Khan’s two wickets, the innings went into decline with the last seven wickets for 61 runs. Off-spinner Shane Shillingford wrecked the lower order to finish with four for 48 while Pascal claimed three for 28 and Khan, two for 49.

Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Justin Guillen then gave West Indies A side a rollicking start, to put the hosts on top.

The right-handed Brathwaite stroked an unbeaten 26 with five fours while the compact Trinidadian Guillen was not out on 21, which has contained two fours and a mighty six over mid-wicket.