Cremer, Williams stun Windies

Zimbabwe's spinners stole the show, taking eight wickets between themselves to bundle out Windies for 219, on the first day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Saturday.

Windies lost its last seven wickets for 45 runs, with Graeme Cremer, the Zimbabwe captain, picking up 4 for 64 and Sean Williams snapping up 3 for 20. It was a spin-friendly surface, but there were no demons in the pitch as Shai Hope showed with a gritty 90 not out.

Shai, who came in at No. 4, wasn't able to get a century, though, as the last three batsmen were dismissed for ducks in the space of six balls. Only three other Windies batsmen reached double figures, with Kieran Powell’s 56 the next-highest knock.

Zimbabwe, buoyed by an excellent bowling performance, ended the day on a positive note with Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire, the debutant, carrying the side to 19 without loss, trailing by 200 runs.

Though spin dictated the proceeding later in the day, it was Kyle Jarvis and Mire, the seamers, who left Windies two down inside the first 16 overs with Chris Mpofu bowling some searing spells up front.

Powell and Shai appeared to steady the innings with a 75-run stand for the third wicket, but progress was slow and Powell eventually succumbed to Cremer, caught at short leg by Craig Ervine.

Shai added 64 for the fourth wicket with Roston Chase, but once the latter fell to Sikandar Raza after the tea break, the floodgates opened.

A smart stumping from Regis Chakabva saw the back of Jermaine Blackwood early and the remaining wickets went down in a flash with Williams grabbing 3 for 2 in just four overs.

Cremer then wrapped up the innings with two wickets in two balls, with Shai denied the chance to score a third Test hundred in as many matches.

That said, Zimbabwe has noticeably more muscle in the batting department this time. It has handed Mire, the allrounder who moved back to Zimbabwe from Australia earlier this year, a first Test cap, and welcomed back Brendan Taylor and Jarvis into the fold. If Zimbabwe wants to usher a brave new era, it has taken a step in the right direction on Saturday.