Zimbabwe 326 (Masakadza 147, Raza 80, Moor 52, Roach 3/44) and 140-4 (Raza 58*, Moor 39*, Roach 2/14) lead West Indies 448 (Holder 110, Dowrich 103, Powell 90, Raza 5/99, Chisoro 3/113) by 18 runs

FOR the second day in a row, Sikandar Raza stole the limelight, this time around with his batting, scoring a patient unbeaten half-century ensured Zimbabwe of a slender lead on the penultimate day of the second cricket Test against West Indies at Queens Sports Club on Wednesday.

Raza scored 58 off 137 deliveries, put on 94 runs for an unbroken fifth-wicket stand with Peter Moor who was 39 not out for Zimbabwe’s second innings of 140 for four in 67 overs. The home team leads by 18 runs with six-second wicket innings in hand.

West Indies, guided by centuries by skipper Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich scored 448 in 178.2 overs to obtain a first innings lead of 122 runs.

Holder struck his second century in Tests when top scored with 110, his highest score in the longer version of the game while wicketkeeper Dowrich scored 103, his maiden hundred in a record-breaking 212 eighth wicket partnership. History was made since before Holder and Dowrich scored their hundreds, the last time number eight and nine scored centuries in the same innings in a Test was in 1908.

Zimbabwe coach Heath Streak felt that with a minimum of 92 overs still left in the game, it is still a long way to go before they can set a target for West Indies which would give the home team an opportunity win the match.

“It’s still a long way to go, 92 overs in the game, it's slow going out there, it’s not an easy wicket to score quickly on, we got to get through a session and get ourselves into a position where we can maybe consider giving them a target. It’s very tough, especially with the deficit that we have had to makeup and the wicket is scoring so slowly,’’ said Streak.

With Zimbabwe having gone into the match with one recognised frontline seamer, Christopher Mpofu, the bowling attack will be further diminished in the West Indies second innings with Streak confirming that Solomon Mire, who he described as a reluctant bowler is struggling with a niggle. This means the slow bowlers have a massive role to play if Zimbabwe fancy recording their first ever victory over West Indies in Test cricket. Poor fielding by Zimbabwe saw Holder dropped on 78 in the sixth over of the day, Graeme Cremer forcing his opposite number into an edge only for wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva to put down the catch. The West Indies captain got to his second Test hundred with a boundary off left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro, after facing 187 balls with nine fours and one six.

Dowrich also reached triple figures getting there in there, smashing Cremer for a six to get to his maiden Test hundred in 225 balls having put away 10 fours and one six.

Chisoro finally picked up his maiden Test wicket, Dowrich leg before wicket to finally break the wicketkeeper’s stand with Holder. In his very next over, Chisoro picked up his second wicket, Holder bowled round his legs. The left-arm spinner had his third, Roach gone for an 18 ball duck.

Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble with both openers dismissed in the 25 minutes before lunch. Hamilton Masakadza was the first to depart, leaving one which came back in from Roach to be bowled for five. Solomon Mire followed shortly leg before wicket for a 10 ball duck. Brendan Taylor survived some anxious moments until Shannon Gabriel took him out of his misery, trapped leg before wicket for 10.

Just as Zimbabwe were looking to build a partnership, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was introduced in the 23rd over and struck with the second delivery, Craig Ervine bowled for 22. An unbroken fifth-wicket stand between Raza and Peter Moor ensured Zimbabwe did not suffer any further losses. With the two still at the crease heading into the last day, the home side will look to build their lead further to give West Indies a good target to chase.

@Mdawini_29