Bold Zimbabwe embark on record 434-run chase against Windies

Legspinner Devendra Bishoo picked up two key wickets as the West Indies took a significant step towards victory on the fourth afternoon of the first Test against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Bishoo dismissed Craig Ervine and Sean Williams in the lead-up to tea, leaving Zimbabwe on 159 for four at the interval as they pursued a target of 434 at Queens Sports Club.

The highest successful chase at the ground is 184, which India achieved in 2001, but Zimbabwe did score 331 in the fourth innings in a losing cause against New Zealand six years ago.

No team in history has chased more than 418 in the fourth innings to win a Test match.

Zimbabwe made a bold start to their innings, with Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire putting on 99 for the first wicket at a brisk rate.

But both batsmen departed in quick succession after lunch, with Masakadza caught at short leg for 57 - his first half-century in almost three years - and Mire (47) undone by some sharp reverse swing from fast bowler Kemar Roach.

Brendan Taylor and Ervine were able to absorb the pressure of a strong West Indian pace attack with a swinging ball in a steady partnership over the next hour, before Bishoo struck two critical blows.

First Ervine was trapped lbw for 18 by a delivery that kept a touch low, then Williams was stumped by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

Taylor reached tea unscathed on 25, while Sikandar Raza was unbeaten on two.

Zimbabwe had required just 21 deliveries to polish off the West Indian second innings at the start of day four, with the tourists adding just four runs to their overnight score of 369 for eight.

Legspinner Graeme Cremer picked up his eighth wicket in the match when he bowled Roach with the first ball of the day, before Williams denied Roston Chase a century when he bowled him for 95.

Source:AFP