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All-rounder Dwayne Bravo claimed 4-21 as the West Indies scored a series-clinching four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in a low-scoring fourth one-day cricket international at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex on Friday.
Bravo’s spell, which earned him the Man-of-the-Match award, helped the hosts limit Zimbabwe to 141 all-out off 48,2 overs.
Fellow seamer Ravi Rampaul provided good support by taking 2-21.
Elton Chigumbura slammed three sixes and two fours in a topscore of 42 off 78 balls but no other Zimbabwe batsman passed 15.
The West Indies got off to a flying start as captain Chris Gayle swatted four fours and two sixes in his 32 off 21 deliveries.
The home team lost its way mid-innings as leg-spinner Graeme Cremer claimed 3-34.
But Narsingh Deonarine sealed the win with a mature knock of 32 not out that took his side to 142 for six off 34,3 overs.
The victory gave the West Indies its first series win since August 2008 when they won a triangular series against minnows Canada and Bermuda in Toronto.
Gayle’s cameo, which included a 22-run over from Chigumbura’s medium pace, dominated an opening stand of 46 with Adrian Barath.
But Zimbabwe never gave up and off-spinner Greg Lamb made the crucial breakthrough when Gayle holed out to long-off.
Chigumbura removed the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who top-edged a pull, and Cremer added the wickets of Barath, Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Bravo to offer hope to his side at 101 for five.
Barath, after striking three fours in 25 off 28 balls, was leg before, Ramdin fell in similar fashion while Bravo edged an expansive drive to slip.
Deonarine and Kieron Pollard steadied the chase in a vital sixth-wicket stand of 38.
Pollard (22) departed with three runs required, chipping a return catch to tall leg-spinner Timycen Maruma as he appeared impatient to notch the winning runs.
Deonarine, whose innings spanned 68 balls, was there at the end when Ray Price’ leg side wide sealed the result.
Earlier, Gayle had no hesitation in bowling first when he won his first toss of the series.
Rampaul made an immediate impact, removing Hamilton Masakadza for a duck as he edged a lifting ball to wicket-keeper Ramdin in the second over.
Bravo added the wicket of Maruma, promoted to No. 3, as he skewed to gully to make the score 37-2.
Zimbabwe, bowled out for 104 in the third one-dayer here on Wednesday, soon slipped up again as the middle order folded meekly.
Brendan Taylor (1) lost his off stump as he drove at Rampaul while Vusi Sibanda (11) was run out after a mix-up with Tatenda Taibu.
Stuart Matsikenyeri’s miserable tour continued when Bravo’s leg-cutter rattled his stumps.
When Taibu (14) upper cut to third man to provide Bravo with his third scalp, Zimbabwe were 62 for six and in danger of falling in double figures.
Chigumbura rallied the lower order with a typically fluent innings.
He added 26 for the seventh wicket with Greg Lamb (12) and an innings-best 41 for the eighth wicket with Graeme Cremer (15).
Lamb eventually chipped a return catch off Nikita Millers left-arm spin.
Chigumbura fell to Darren Sammy towards the end, swinging a catch straight down to deep backward square leg.
Bravo claimed Cremer to a miscued slash to cover before Kemar Roach ended the innings by bowling last man Price. — Supersport.
Teams
West Indies: CH Gayle (capt), AB Barath, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, DJ Bravo, KA Pollard, D Ramdin (wk), DJG Sammy, NO Miller, R Rampaul, KAJ Roach
Zimbabwe: V Sibanda, H Masakadza, T Taibu (wk), S Matsikenyeri, BRM Taylor, E Chigumbura, GA Lamb, AG Cremer, P Utseya (capt), RW Price, T Maruma
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