The Zimbabwe Cricket Team though managed to improve from their first innings score but couldn’t go past the target of 433 runs put on the board by the West Indies team in a thrilling encounter at Bulawayo. Devendra Bishoo once again turned out to be a match winner for his side rattling down the Zimbabwean batting line-up in the final session of the penultimate day. The host fell 117 runs short to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the series.
The Caribbeans could only manage to add four runs from their overnight total of 369 runs. Roston Chase failed to score a well deserved hundred falling short of five runs from the landmark. However, the West Indies were bowled out for 373 runs leaving the host with a massive chase of 374 runs in the second innings.
Though it was a mountable task to chase, the Zimbabweans started off well with Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire playing sensible cricket giving an opening stand of 99 runs giving the bowlers some tough time. While Mire concentrated more on singles and doubles, Masakadza mostly dealt with boundaries and got to his fifty quickly before getting out of a Kraigg Brathwaite delivery. The hard work put on by the West Indies bowlers paid off as Kemar Roach removed Solomon Mire three runs short of his half-century immediately and the Zimbabweans were struggling at 109 runs for two losing two wickets in quick succession.
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Brendon Taylor, who made a comeback to the national side after a stint in County proved once again why he is highly rated in that Zimbabwe batting line-up. After failing in the first innings, he made it up with a fighting fifty in the second innings playing some good looking shots of the spinners. However, on the other end wickets kept on falling at regular intervals as Bishoo removed Craig Ervine Sean Williams in no time. Sikander Raza and Taylor started to stitch a partnership when the latter got his well-made half-century. Raza then fell off to a poor short-pitch delivery from Bishoo which was asking to be hit, and Raza hit that straight into the hands of the cover fielder.
Malcolm Waller and Brendon Taylor got themselves out running blindly in quick succession with Zimbabwe striving at 253 runs for eight wickets. As the lower order was crumbling to the West Indian attack, Chris Mpofu and Kyle Zarvis took on the bowlers giving 63 runs stand for the last wickets before Mpofu got out trying to hit over the bowlers head and hitting to the hands of long off-fielder. The leg-spinner Bishoo added four wickets to his tally of 5 in the first inning and was adjudged the man of the match award.