BULAWAYO, Zimbab-we, CMC – Roston Chase got some of his groove back with a resolute half-century, but an attempt by West Indies to forge ahead against Zimbabwe in the second Test yesterday was again thwarted by their opponents tenacity and fickle weather.
Chase has top scored so far for the Windies with 70 and when rain stopped play for the second time about 45 minutes before the scheduled close on the second day at the Queens Sports Club, the Caribbean side were 290 for eight, a first innings lead of 165.
The Barbadian slow bowling all-rounder shared successive half-century stands with compatriot Kyle Mayers and wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua da Silva to fortify the Caribbean side’s grip on the match. Da Silva scored 44 and Mayers made 30, but they were two of four wickets that West Indies conceded during the 49.4 overs of play that were possible on the day.
Pacer Victor Nyauchi ended with 3-56 from 16.4 overs, and leg-spinner Brandon Mavuta supported with 3-73 from 24 overs, both the personification of the the Zimbabweans displayed with purposeful bowling. This was the highest of the four half-centuries Chase has scored since his unbeaten 102 in a losing cause against England three years ago at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia.
For a period of time last year, he had lost his place in the Test side, but the selection panel felt anyone with five Test hundreds and the ability to bowl steady off-spin was worth the punt, and he regained his place in recent months.
Chase spent almost four hours at the crease and struck only four fours and one six from 132 balls in an effort to consolidate the hold the visitors have on the match before he drove at a delivery from Nyauchi that moved back and was bowled in the fifth over with the second new ball.
“Obviously, I was looking for a century, but I thought my mindset was still in an old ball mindset, and the new ball tends to do a bit more, so I thought it was a bit disappointing on my end, but it was a good delivery from the bowler and credit must go to him,” he told reporters after play.
“I was a bit disappointed not being able to convert to a hundred, but I was happy that I was still able to get a decent score… It’s always a good feeling to get a good score, I didn’t get much in the last game because I was in a position where I had to come out and look for runs right away. “That’s out of my game plan and strategy, but this game, I really had the opportunity to go out there and play my natural game, and play to my strengths.”
Chase said he hoped the Windies could extend their lead well past 200, which will put them in a far better position to try to force a win over the remaining three days, weather permitting. “I am happy with the position that we are in, but it could be better,” he said. “We are still leading the game, and I feel if we can carry the total up to 350 that would give us a significant lead, and it will be enough to bowl out Zimbabwe in the second innings. “I do not think we will need as much time (to get a result) because the pitch is offering a lot more to the bowlers, and I think it will be in a position where we can prise out the batsmen a little easier, so I think we should still be positioned for a win in this game.” Former West Indies captain Jason Holder, not out on three, will carry the bulk of the responsibility for scoring on the third day, but tailender Gudakesh Motie, not out on 11, has proven that he is no mug with the bat when playing for Guyana Harpy Eagles in the West Indies Championship.
Only batting bunny Shannon Gabriel remains after this pair.
Chase shared a 60-run partnership with Mayers for the fifth wicket after the visitors stumbled to 133 for four at the close on the previous evening.
But left-hander Mayers, like all before him, paid for careless batting and was caught at mid-wicket from a miscued pull.
Chase and da Silva carried West Indies to 236 for five at lunch, and continued from where they left off after the interval to put on 85 for the sixth wicket.
The wicket of Chase signalled the refreshments break and the first interruption for rain that lasted almost 2-1/2 hours.
In the second over after the resumption, the Windies lost two wickets to Nyauchi when Da Silva was bowled playing forward, and Alzarri Joseph was caught at mid-wicket for four from a miscued pull, leaving Holder and Motie to bat out another 25 balls before the adverse weather ended play early.
The two-Test series is level 0-0, after the first Test that ended last Wednesday at the same venue was drawn.
