HARARE, Zimbabwe, (CMC) - Middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels smashed a fabulous unbeaten 109 as the West Indies consolidated their position against Zimbabwe ‘A’ in their three-day tour opener at the Takashinga Sports Club yesterday.
Samuels reached a shot-filled century off only 98 balls and the West Indies closed on 246 for five in their second innings - an overall lead of 408 - entering today’s final day.
Pacers Vasbert Drakes and Jerome Taylor, sharing nine wickets, had earlier dominated the Zimbabwe ‘A’ batting, stifling them to 242 all out as the tourists outclassed the Zimbabwe reserves in their only warm-up game before the first Test starts Tuesday.
“It has certainly been a very good start to the tour, the kind of attitude and the kind of approach that we had talked about and hoped to get off to a start with,” team manager Ricky Skerritt said on the CMC News and Sports Radio programme yesterday.
The 22-year-old Samuels, who had struck 66 not out in the first innings, became the third century-maker for the West Indies in the game, following Daren Ganga (110) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (102 retired) in the first innings.
He played with authority and got good support from wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, who made use of a promotion - to number three - for batting practice, with a solid 44.
“Marlon’s innings followed up from where (Daren) Ganga and (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul left off on the first day, very dominant, very aggressive but hitting the ball on the ground, not really hitting the ball wildly, dissecting the field and playing with a lot of class from the first day,” Skerritt said.
Ganga was not out on 25 with Samuels at the close, with pacers Ngonidzashe Mahwire (2-26) and Jordane Nicolle (2-50) the most successful Zimbabwe ‘A’ bowlers.
The other West Indies batsmen out are Ridley Jacobs (26), Chris Gayle (12), Ramnaresh Sarwan (10), and Wavell Hinds (9).
From an overnight 31 without loss, the home side - replying to the West Indies’ first innings score of 404 for five declared -- had declined sharply from a lunch-time position of 140 for three, losing their last seven wickets for 102 runs.
Drakes (5-66) and the 19-year-old Taylor (4-46) ripped through their middle and lower order and earned the West Indies a healthy 162-run first innings advantage.
The right-handed Stuart Matsikenyeri top-scored for Zimbabwe A with an unbeaten 84 that included 11 fours and one six.
WEST INDIES 1st innings 404-5 decl. (D.Ganga 110; J.Nicolle 2-40)
Zimbabwe A 1st innings (o/n 31 without loss)
*D.Ebrahim lbw Drakes 14
V.Sibanda lbw Taylor 51
C.Evans lbw Taylor 11
B.Rogers b Drakes 35
S.Matsikenyeri not out 84
E.Chigumbura b Drakes 0
T.Friend lbw Drakes 4
+A.Maregwede b Drakes 0
G.Ewing b Taylor 4
N.Mahwire b Taylor 2
J.Nicolle c wkp. Baugh b Gayle 3
Extras: (lb-7, w-7, nb-20) 34
Total: (all out - 66.2 overs) 242
Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-86, 3-91, 4-184, 5-187, 6-209, 7-215, 8-221, 9-227.