Windies steady in reply

The West Indies made a solid start to their innings after dismissing Zimbabwe for 326 on the second day of the second Test at Queens Sports Club on Monday.

After the home side were bowled out in the hour after lunch, West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell cautiously guided their side close to stumps before Brathwaite got out for 32. The visitors finished the day on 78-1 with Powell undefeated on 43.

Zimbabwe leg-spinner Graeme Cremer struck late to end a turgid opening stand and keep the West Indies in check.

Earlier, the home innings was built on the back of Hamilton Masakadza's superb 147 and Sikandar Raza's crucial 80.

The pair resumed their fifth-wicket partnership on the second morning with Zimbabwe on 169 for four, and extended the stand to 90 as they saw off the first 21 overs of the day.

However Zimbabwe fell from 146 for four to 267 for seven when Masakadza top-edged a delivery from legspinner Devendra Bishoo and was caught by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, and Malcolm Waller and Regis Chakabva both departed cheaply.

Raza stabilised the innings briefly alongside captain Graeme Cremer, but the West Indies took the second new ball after lunch and needed just 55 deliveries to wrap up the tail.

Raza was caught at second slip off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel, while Cremer was run out and debutant Tendai Chisoro was trapped lbw by Kemar Roach, who finished with figures of 3 for 44.

SCORE IN BRIEF

ZIMBABWE: First innings 326 all out in 109.1 overs (Masakadza 147, Moor 52, Raza 80; Gabriel 2-64, Roach 3-44, Bishoo 2-82)

WEST INDIES:  First innings 78-1 in 49 overs (Brathwaite 32, Powell 43 not out; Cremer 1-31)