West Indies 158 for 7 (Pollard 45*, Simmons 41) beat Zimbabwe117 for 6 (Masakadza 53*, Badree 3-17) by 41 runs
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The quick turnaround time of one day was hardly enough for Zimbabwe to
get its act together and challenge the hosts, after West Indies had
posted a competitive 158. West Indies were hardly stretched during the
chase and once the Zimbabwe top order succumbed to the spin of Samuel
Badree, it was all one-way traffic. West Indies took the T20 series 2-0,
adding to their three consecutive wins in the one-dayers, extending
their winning run in a one-sided tour.
The only time Zimbabwe kept the hosts under check was in the first ten
overs of the match. The bowlers followed a plan of containing the
batsmen, but they couldn't maintain that control against a power-packed
middle order. Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy blazed 56 together in
their fifth-wicket stand to give the innings a push and though Zimbabwe
hit back with late wickets, Pollard ensured he stayed till the end,
helping West Indies to a match-winning total.
After getting pasted in the opening T20 on Saturday, Zimbabwe needed to
work out a plan to keep the number of boundaries in check and in general
make the batsmen work harder for runs. An obvious change was the way
the spinners bowled it flatter and fuller and not allowing the batsmen
to go for big hits. Lendl Simmons, who smashed six sixes - mostly slog
sweeps - in his unbeaten 63 off 49 balls on Saturday, managed only two
big hits in his 41 off 39 today. He found it harder to get under the
bounce and slog thanks to the lengths bowled by the spinners.
Johnson Charles, Dwayne Bravo and Simmons all perished while trying to
push the scoring. The first 12 overs had 29 dot balls, showing the sort
of control the Zimbabwe bowlers had.
Pollard and Sammy came together at the start of the 15th over and the
run rate surged. Sammy launched Christopher Mpofu out of the ground when
the bowler overpitched and Pollard was merciless against Chatara,
ransacking 23 off an over that included two sixes and two fours. The
extra pace worked to West Indies' advantage, and the seamers erred by
not bowling it fuller. As a result, the batsmen helped themselves to
some powerful blows down the ground.
Zimbabwe conceded only 64 off the first ten overs, but the last five
leaked 60. Zimbabwe did hit back towards the end with quick wickets, but
Pollard's was the one they wanted, but never had.
Zimbabwe needed a rousing start from their top order but their twin
failures in the two T20s will be the biggest concern ahead of the Tests.
They were undone by Badree, who nipped out three of the top four. Chamu
Chibhabha made too much room to cut against the turn and lost his
middle stump; Vusi Sibanda slashed towards point but Bravo's sharp
reflexes had the better of him; Brendan Taylor fell to a leading edge to
cover. Taylor's failures in both games put pressure on the middle
order. Hamilton Masakadza played the lone hand with an unbeaten 53, but
his knock was overshadowed by what was a sorry response from Zimbabwe.
There was no passage of play during which West Indies were challenged -
only seven fours were scored in the first 15 overs and there were no
sixes. Batting out 20 overs was no consolation.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Kanishkaa Balachandran
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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