West Indies open up lead over Zimbabwe

Visiting Zimbabwe will chase 246 to win after the West Indies recovered from a slow start in the third One-day International here on Wednesday.

The Zimbabwe spinners again tied down the West Indies' top-order batsmen, but the home team kept wickets in hand and fought back late to post a respectable 245 for nine from their allotted 50 overs.

Zimbabwe packed their side with frontline spin bowlers, when they added teenaged leg-spinner Timycen Maruma to their line-up, and West Indies failed to conquer them.

The Zimbabweans had restricted West Indies to 84 for one at the halfway stage, after West Indies captain Chris Gayle was stumped off his opposite number Prosper Utseya for 33 in the 16th over.

Zimbabwe tightened their grip when Adrian Barath was caught at long-on off Utseya for 35 in the 26th over, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose 58 from 76 balls was the top score, and Denesh Ramdin revived West Indies with stand of 65 for the third wicket.

Maruma made the breakthrough by getting Ramdin caught at mid-wicket for 19 off the penultimate ball of the 39th over.

Chanderpaul was run out on the next delivery when he failed to beat Utseya's direct hit at the striker's end from backward square leg to leave West Indies 151 for four.

Zimbabwe had their grip loosened, as West Indies made a late charge with Dwayne Bravo getting 24 and Narsingh Deonarine 21.

Elton Chigumbura was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with two wickets for 43 runs from his allotment of 10 overs, while Utseya took two for 47 from 10 overs.

The five-match series is currently level at 1-1, following Zimbabwe's win in the first ODI by two runs last Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium, where West Indies rebounded to take the second ODI by four wickets last Saturday.

The last two ODIs will be played here on Friday and Sunday.