Records galore as Chanderpaul slams 207*, and Brathwaite 182 in West Indies’ domination

By Chris On Feb 6, 2023

Zimbabwe 114 for 3 (Kaia 59*, Brathwaite 1-5, Motie 1-25) trail West Indies 447 for 6 dec (Chanderpaul 207*, Brathwaite 182, Mavuta 5-140) by 333 runs

The name Chanderpaul has a rich presence in West Indies cricket history, and Tagenarine Chanderpaul carried the legacy forward by becoming just the tenth player from the region to convert his maiden Test hundred into a double ton. The opener was a study of concentration during his unbeaten 207 off 467 balls, helping the visitors declare on 447 for 6 on day three of the first Test against Zimbabwe.

Kraigg Brathwaite and Chanderpaul together racked up multiple records as Bulawayo finally saw a full day’s play with the sun shining brightly after two rain-hit days. In reply, Innocent Kaia led the way with an unbeaten fifty on debut as Zimbabwe moved to 114 for 3, still trailing West Indies by 333 runs.

With 99 overs lost to rain and West Indies managing to score just 221 runs in 89 overs across the first two days, they needed to up the rate to have any chance of forcing a result, and Brathwaite took on the charge. He was proactive from the get-go and brought about a number of shots which are otherwise against his naturally defensive style of play.

He struck Richard Ngarava for three successive fours in the third over of the day before slamming Victor Nyauchi for two more. Brathwaite hit six fours in his first 16 balls of the day, and soon brought up a third score in excess of 150 in Test cricket. He was much more agricultural in his shot-making, often moving in his crease and looking for gaps on the on side, with Zimbabwe employing a seven-two off-side heavy field.

Chanderpaul, on the other hand, was more measured in his approach and collected a four only in the 21st over of the day. But he made sure to get the skates on, and rotated the strike at every chance possible.

But Zimbabwe also had their moments in the extended first session. There were a couple of close run-out appeals against Chanderpaul, while debutant wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga missed a stumping chance when Brathwaite was on 159. Soon after, Brad Evans failed to hold onto a tough chance to his right in his follow-through with Brathwaite on 167.

As a result, it did not take long for the pair to go past Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes’ 33-year-old record for the highest opening stand in Tests for West Indies. They also became the first opening pair to bat more than 100 overs in a Test innings since Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya against Pakistan 23 years ago.

Zimbabwe finally struck through Wellington Masakadza, who trapped Brathwaite in front for 182, ending a mammoth 336-run stand – the ninth-highest Test opening partnership. Soon after, Chanderpaul reached 150, the first instance of both West Indies openers scoring in excess of 150; in the same Test innings.

Thereafter, Kyle Mayers struck a couple of sixes before falling to Brandon Mavuta, as West Indies went into lunch on 374 for 2, having hurriedly scored 153 runs in 36 overs in the first session.

Chanderpaul got another life when he was dropped first ball after the break, with Tsiga again failing to latch on. However, Mavuta continued to keep the ball in good areas and was rewarded with the wickets of Raymon Reifer and Jermaine Blackwood in quick succession.

Chanderpaul, though, carried on. He went after Masakadza, smashing him for a four and a six in an over to move swiftly through the 180s even as Mavuta continued to pick wickets at the other end. The legspinner had Roston Chase edging for 7 before removing Jason Holder to claim his maiden five-wicket haul.

It took Chanderpaul a while to reach his double ton, but he got there in style by lofting Masakadza over mid-off for a six. That also took him past his father Tanunurwa Makoni, both on Test debut then survived the ten overs before tea to give their side a steady start.

With the sun baking down on the Bulawayo surface, batting on the third evening became a touch easier, and the openers made it count. Kaia was the aggressor, often bringing out the expansive cuts and pulls, while Makoni was committed to the front foot. The opposition captain Brathwaite rang the changes, but there was little on offer for the bowlers as the pair raised the 50-run stand in 22 overs.

It was Alzarri Joseph who then struck for West Indies, inducing a thick edge off Makoni’s blade with Mayers at first slip hanging onto an excellent catch. New batter Chamu Chibhabha struck a four off his second ball, but Gudakesh Motie soon snapped him up for 9.

Kaia continued playing his strokes, and brought up his maiden Test fifty with a hard sweep through midwicket off Motie. Just when Zimbabwe would have harboured hopes of going into stumps two down, Brathwaite brought himself on and cleaned up his opposite number Craig Ervine off what turned out to be the last ball of the day.

For all the latest Sports News Click Here

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! TechAI is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.