Shillingford seals three-day victory

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Cricket365
March 15, 2013

A second-innings six-for from Shane Shillingford capped the West Indies' nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe on day-three of the first Test at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Friday.

A second-innings six-for from Shane Shillingford capped the West Indies' nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe on day three of the first Test at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Friday.

The 30-year-old off-spinner contributed four wickets in the morning session on his way to innings figures of six for 49 and a match haul of nine for 107.

That left Zimbabwe all out for 107, setting a winning target of just 12 for the hosts.
Somewhat farcically, the successful five-over chase was split by lunch.

Zimbabwe, starting from a position of 41 for three, saw their skipper Brendan Taylor hit the second ball of the day for four, but that was as good as it got.

He was gone inside the same over, Shillingford persuading him to pop a soft catch to Kieran Powell at short leg.

Kemar Roach followed up in the second over by parting nightwatchman Ray Price's stumps to make it 47 for five.

New man Craig Ervine was dropped off Shillingford on four but the hosts were not to be detained for long, Malcolm Waller becoming fifth man out to the Shillingford-Powell axis.

The going was painfully slow but Ervine got the score moving with consecutive fours off Tino Best, one a crisp drive, the other a streaky edge.

Shillingford celebrated his five-wicket haul, the 30-year-old's second in Tests, when Regis Chakabva played down the wrong line to be bowled for six and open up the distinct chance of an innings defeat.

Graeme Cremer hit four off Best and a towering six off Shillingford in a brief rally before he was smartly held by Denesh Ramdin to become the spinner's sixth victim.

Kyle Jarvis also managed a maximum before both he and Tendai Chatara were removed by Shannon Gabriel's pace within the space of three balls.

There was just enough time for three overs to be bowled before the interval, but the Windies could not finish off Zimbabwe in that time.

Indeed Powell lost his wicket, gone to a fine Chatara ball for six. After the restart, and with the hosts one shot away from victory, Chris Gayle played out an improbable maiden before picking up the winning runs through gully.