Zimbabwe beat West Indies to reach final

Zimbabwe produced a batting fightback of proportions to beat the West Indies by 5 runs via the Duckworth Lewis method in the final group match of the Blue Mountain Achilleion triangular series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Having been reduced to 89-7 teh situation looked dire as the Chevrons looked like they would capitulate and out with a whimper then Sikandar Raza (76) with Donald Tiripano (15) and then Tendai Chisoro (42) pushed the hosts north of 200.

Before that spinners Devandra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse had decimated the Zimbabwe batting lineup with devilish spin at times brilliant and other occasions due to poor shot selection.

Raza’s patiently rebuilding the innings was particularly impressive as it had only three boundaries, cleverly pinching singles with Chisoro and converting ones into twos.

Before the match started if West Indies had been offered a target of 219 they would have taken it but for the aggressive captaincy of Zimbabwe’s Graeme Cremer.

He opened the bowling with Tendai Chisoro and soon the visitors were 12-2. The returning Hamilton Masakadza caught Shai Hope well to make it 36-3 off Sean Williams before a brilliant piece pick and throw movement run out from Craig Ervine removed the dangerous Kraig Brathwaitte the dangerous.

With five wickets down Windies captain Jason Holder played aggressively knowing his side were behind on the D/L method.

With the consistent drizzle getting heavier and it becoming more difficult for the fielding side to to grip the ball the umpires called the players off, the winders five short of par at 124-5 after 27.3 overs.

The rain got heavier and play was called off to hand Zimbabwe a date with Sri Lanka in the final on Sunday at the same venue.