Tagenarine Chanderpaul struck his first Test century and fellow opener Kraigg Brathwaite also reached three figures as the West Indies reached 221 without loss on Sunday after a rain-affected second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul struck his first Test century and fellow nature Kraigg Brathwaite also reached three numbers as the West Indies reached 221 without loss on Sunday after a rain- affected alternate day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Captain Brathwaite recorded his 12th Test ton as he made 116 while Chanderpaul, son of West Indies great Shivnarine, closed on 101.
It’s the loftiest opening cooperation by West Indians since Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell scored 254 against New Zealand in Antigua 11 times agone.
Saturday’s play had been abandoned because of rain soon after lunch with the excursionists 112- 0 and the tempestuous rainfall interposed again.
Play was only suitable to start at 1500 original time( 1300 GMT) on Sunday after sawdust had been scattered across the damp areas in the outfield.
As was the case on the opening day, the West Indies openers took many chances, scoring at smaller than two and half runs per over against some tight Zimbabwe bowling on a sluggish pitch.
Brathwaite, who has been in a rich run of form, looked the more comfortable and was the first to reach his century.
After a wet outfield claimed the first two sessions on day 2 in Bulawayo, gritty centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw West Indies extend their grip on the first Test against Zimbabwe.
Only 51 overs were played on a rain- elided opening day, and West Indies- continuing from 112 for 0- made the utmost of the 38 overs on offer on the alternate. Overnight rain meant that indeed though covers were out beforehand on Sunday, the outfield wasn’t fit for play and after several examinations, it was decided that the game would begin after tea.
Both batters began the day on 55, and while Chanderpaul began to rotate strike better than on Saturday, it was Brathwaite who got the first couple of boundaries down. With further than three sessions in the game formerly lost, the two openers upped the tempo, adding the run rate from2.03 on day 1 to2.86 on day 2.
The Zimbabwe bowlers toiled down again, but for the alternate day in a row, they had no lattices to show.
Brathwaite brought up his 12th Test century in 226 balls in the 82nd over with a late cut history slip off left- arm incentive Wellington Masakadza. His knock was generally about strike gyration and showcased excellent communication with Chanderpaul when running between the lattices. He scored just five boundaries while making his century; the smallest boundary count in a Test century since 2002 is four.
Throughout the two days, Brathwaite and Chanderpaul took parlous mates, indeed after playing the ball to close fielders. This meant Zimbabwe had a many openings, but nothing clear cut, as the two openers kept the scoreboard ticking despite not being suitable to find the boundary with the kind of chronicity they would have liked.
And formerly Zimbabwe took the alternate new ball, Brathwaite- having just reached his century- was quick to capitalise, using the redundant pace on the ball to get a couple of quick boundaries off Richard Ngarava and Victor Nyauchi.
While his father Shivnarine Chanderpaul had taken 52 innings and nearly eight times to score his demoiselle Test century down from home, Tagenarine demanded just five innings and just over two months.
In the 88th over, Chanderpaul pulled Nyauchi past midwicket to move to 99, and after a many nervy moments, put away the final delivery of the over before square to bring up the century off 286 balls. Once his helmet came off in festivity, the relief and joy on his face were palpable.
Having been one of the many cons from West Indies’ stint of Australia, Chanderpaul showed he’d the stomach to dig in and stay at the crinkle for long durations. It had taken him 19 deliveries to get off the mark on the first day and he showed the same kind of tolerance on Sunday. He was perplexed indeed as the fleck balls erected, putting away the bad balls whenever he’d a chance.
In the process, he also came the first West Indies nature piecemeal from Brathwaite to hit a Test century since Chris Gayle in March 2013.
Brathwaite and Chanderpaul have now put on the loftiest opening cooperation for West Indies since July 2012, when Chris Gayle and Kieron Powell put on 254 against New Zealand.
For a long time, the West Indies Test captain has fought a lone battle for them at the top of the order. Eventually, he seems to have set up a mate who can give him much- demanded support. But with further showers anticipated latterly tonight, they will have to keep picking up pace if they’re to push for a palm in this Test.
Chanderpaul was more wary although there were moments when he played like his father who only retired from Test justice eight times agone, having racked up 30 centuries in 164 Tests.
While it took his father 19 Tests to reach his first century, Chanderpaul junior has demanded just three.
The 26- time-old left- hander only made his debut in Perth against Australia in November when he scored 51 and 45. He followed that with 47 and 17 in Adelaide and looked at home alongside Brathwaite in Bulawayo.
He struck 10 fours and a six during the course of his innings, bringing up his century with a neat tuck behind forecourt for a single.
“He looks to be world- class and is a top nature, ” said Brathwaite at the close. “ Glad we’ve got some big hookups therefore far and would love to continue. ”
Each of the Zimbabwe bowlers deserves credit for keeping a tight rein on the West Indies scoring, incentive Wellington Masakadza conceding just 30 runs from a tight 16 overs which included six misses.
The match, which is the first for the West Indies with Brian Lara acting as performance tutor, is the first of two in a Test series in Bulawayo. The alternate is listed to start on February 12. Know More Cricket News…
