Windies take 1-0 lead in the series despite Taylor, tail resistance

The Windies completed a 117 run victory over Zimbabwe in the first Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer and Sean Williams knew their side had their backs up against it and did the business early in the morning, the former removing Kemar Roache with his first delivery and only four runs added until the visitors were out for 373.

The target was 434 and a win would have been a world record surpassing the that set on 9 May 2003 by the then West Indies in St Johns.

And by lunch Zimbabwe looked comfortable for the most part, openers, Hamiton Masakadza (57) and Solomon Mire (47) sweeping and driving to full effect.

It was Masakadza who would be the first to go as his bat pad off Kraigg Brathwaite was happily scooped up by Shai Hope.

Mire would go next, an inside edge hitting his pads and ricocheting off the stumps.

Craig Ervine was out next leg before, a strange referral for what looked plum.

By that time former captain Brendan Taylor had come in to knuckle down and it did look like there would be some heroics when he and Sikandar Raza looked steady before the latter rushed onto shot and got caught at cover.

The procession followed and when Taylor was out for 73 it looked as if it was a matter of minutes.

Kyle Jarvis (23*) and local favourite Chris Mpofu (33) provided resistance but chasing a 434 was always too much. Mpofu was caught at long-on off Roston Chase.

The second test kicks off on Sunday at the same venue.