Gayle, Deonarine take West Indies home by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Guyana National Stadium, Providence
Scorecard:	West Indies v Zimbabwe
Player:	CH Gayle, N Deonarine
Event:	Zimbabwe in West Indies 2009/10

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DateLine: 7th March 2010

 

Chris Gayle and Narsingh Deonarine scored a couple of fifties to help the beleaguered hosts level the five match one-day series. Winning the toss and electing to bat first Zimbabwe was restricted to a modest 206 in 49.5 overs. West Indies in reply made 208 in 47.5 overs.

 

Electing to bat first the Zimbabweans suffered a major jolt in the very first over as Sibanda (5, 3b, 1x4) was run-out. Though Taibu, Taylor and Chigumbura made useful contributions the West Indian spinners led by Nikita Miller applied the brakes to the scoring. Taylor could not go beyond his 47 as he was trapped leg before by a quicker one from Gayle while Taibu (31, 46b, 2x4) was dismissed as he tried to up the ante. Chigumbura (50, 72b, 5x4) was not at his explosive best as he could not come to term with the slow nature of the pitch.

 

Roach finished with figures 3-37 in 9.5 overs while Miller claimed four wickets for 43 in 9 overs.

 

Gayle led the Windies reply as he took the attack to the spinners. While Gayle was on song it seemed that the match was going only in one direction. The Zimbabwean spinners did well to pick up wickets at the other end to apply the brakes on the scoring. At 85 for 4 in 25.3 overs it seemed that the Windies team was staring down at another defeat. But Gayle found a perfect partner in Deonarine as the left-handed pair 83 in 16.2 overs. Though Gayle (88, 111, 2x6, 7x4) got out in Deonarine (65 not out, 84b, 1x6, 6x4) ensured that West Indies did fall short as the hosts levelled the series .