Superb Chanderpaul converts maiden ton into memorable double

West Indies v Zimbabwe

Day 3 of 1st Test

Venue: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Toss: West Indies

Scorecard: http://bit.ly/zimvwiscorecard

Tagenarine Chanderpaul converted his maiden Test hundred into a splendid double, and combined with captain Kraigg Brathwaite to eclipse West Indies’ 33-year-old record for the opening partnership, as the visitors side took charge of the opening Test against Zimbabwe on Monday.

With the rain staying away, Chanderpaul and Brathwaite exploited the supreme batting conditions to lead West Indies to an imposing 447-6 declared in their first innings. The left-handed Chanderpaul, in only his third Test, finished unbeaten on 207 after resuming the morning on 101. He faced 467 balls in just under 10 hours at the crease and struck 16 and three sixes. He entered the record books as only the 10th West Indies batsman to turn his maiden Test century into a double.Brathwaite, started the day on 116, and made 182 – his second highest Test score. He stay at the crease came off 312 balls, in just over eight hours and included 18 fours.

Resuming the morning with their side on top at 221 without loss, the pair extended their opening stand to 336 – marching past the West Indies record of 298 set by legends Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes in 1990 against England The partnership was also the ninth highest-ever Test opening stand and the first in excess of 300 in nearly a decade.

When West Indies eventually declared during the second session, Zimbabwe produced a strong fightback courtesy of opener Innocent Kaia, who stroked an unbeaten 59 in an opening stand 63 with fellow debutant Tanunurwa Makoni, who made 33.

However, once the stand was broken, West Indies picked up three wickets for 51 runs to reduce the hosts to 114-3 at the close – still 333 runs adrift heading into Tuesday’s fourth day.

ENTIRE TEAM ENJOYED

interim head coach Andre Coley said after the day’s play.

LIFTED THE TEMPO

Eager to make up for the time lost to rain, Brathwaite lifted the tempo from the start, stroking three successive fours in the morning’s third over from left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava and taking another two off seamer Richard Ngarava, a few overs later. He raced to 163 at the first drinks break but became the innings first wicket to fall with lunch on the horizon – trapped leg-before wicket – missing a sweep at left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza.

Chanderpaul reached his 150 about half-hour before lunch to be unbeaten at the interval on 161, and added 37 for the second wicket with Kyle Mayers who blasted two sixes in 20 from 24 balls, before perishing in the penultimate over before the break.Chanderpaul reached his double-century in grand style when he advanced to Masakadza and struck him for a straight six, in the first over after the drinks break.