Tags:
Journalism of Courage
KINGSTON, MARCH 25: Zimbabwe’s Murray Goodwin hit his second Test century to spur his team to 220 for five at the close of the second cricket Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park, on Sunday.
Veteran fast bowler Courtney Walsh, starting the day five wickets away from passing Kapil Dev’s world record of 434, made an early breakthrough for the West Indies, removing Grant Flower for two. That wicket moved him level in second spot with Richard Hadlee on 431, but the 37-year-old could not further boost his tally despite the urgings of a crowd of about 7,000.
Walsh’s youngest pace colleague, Reon King, added to the visitors’ woes in the morning session, dismissing Trevor Gripper and struggling left-hander Neil Johnson just before lunch.
The defensive-minded Gripper perished to a rare attacking shot, his miscued pull finding Walsh’s safe hands. The 24-year-old made 11 in 109 minutes in a promising stand of 35 with Goodwin.
Johnson followed for his second duck of the series without adding to the score. Demoted after failing as opener in the opening Test loss in Trinidad, the tall 30-year-old edged King low to Chris Gayle at first slip.
Zimbabwe, who won the toss, struggled to lunch at 40 for three off 27 overs. But the next four hours were almost totally dominated by the positive strokeplay of Goodwin and Flower.
Goodwin, benefitting from a difficult chance before the break at gully to captain Jimmy Adams off Franklyn Rose when 16, blossomed, bringing up his half century in just over three hours, off 134 balls with his sixth four. The diminutive right-hander was particularly strong on the cut and also drove well through the onside.
Adams, in front of his fellow Jamaicans in only his second Test as skipper, used himself, Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul as part-time spinners but could not dislodge the enterprising pair.
But when he entrusted the second new ball with King and Rose in the last half hour of the day, the mood quickly changed. The positive foot movement and fluent strokes were replaced by uncertainty.
Still, it took a run out to break the soild partnership.
Goodwin was the batsman to suffer, sent back late by the striker Flower as he sought a single to backward square leg. Wavell Hinds was quick to pounce and his return to Adams over the bowler’s stumps was accurate and found the batsman a foot short.
As Goodwin walked off after hitting nine boundaries in his 324-minute, 239-ball effort, Flower slumped in disappointment as the West Indians celebrated, on and off the field.
Scoreboard Zimbabwe 1st Innings: Grant Flower c Jacobs b Walsh 2, Trevor Gripper c Walsh b King 11, Murray Goodwin (run out) 113, Neil Johnson c Gayle b King 0, Andy Flower b Rose 66, Brian Murphy batting 0, Alistair Campbell batting 0; Extras: (b4, lb11, w1, nb12) 28. Total (for 5 wkts in 85.4 overs) 220
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-40, 3-40, 4-216, 5-216
Bowling: Ambrose 18-7-26-0, Walsh 17-6-28-1, King 14.4-5-29-2, Rose 16-6-43-1, Gayle 9-0-35-0, Adams 9-2-32-0, Chanderpaul 2-0-12-0
