Brathwaite, Chanderpaul hit fifties for West Indies

BULAWAYO: West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul scored half-centuries before rain stopped play 51 overs into the first day of the first Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday.

The tourists were 112-0 in the southwestern city of Bulawayo as they sought to extend an unbeaten Test record against the hosts having won seven of the previous 10 and drawn three.

Captain Brathwaite was first to reach 50, thanks to three runs from a drive past mid-off, and also scored two fours in an unbeaten 55 when the weather intervened.

Chanderpaul was also on 55 having scored a second half-century in only a third Test appearance with his eighth four of the match at the Queens Sports Club.

Spinners Wellington Masakadza (0-13) and Brandon Mavuta (0-18) were the most successful of the Zimbabwe bowlers.

Craig Ervine captained Zimbabwe as Sean Williams is injured while star all-rounder Sikandar Raza missed out due to franchise commitments in the United Arab Emirates.

Score Board

West Indies won the toss

West Indies 1st Innings

Brathwaite (c)not out 55

Chanderpaul not out 55

Extras: (nb 2) 2

Total:51 Ov 112

Did not bat: Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach

Bowling: Ngarava 9-2-23-0, Nyauchi 15-5-27-0, Evans 11-1-31-0, Masakadza 9-5-13-0, Mavuta 7-1-18-0

Zimbabwe Team: Innocent Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine (c), Gary Ballance, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Brandon Mavuta, Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Victor Nyauchi, Richard Ngarava

Umpires: Langton Rusere,Paul Reiffel