Gudakesh Motie took 13 wickets in the match as West Indies beat Zimbabwe by an innings and four runs in the second Test in Bulawayo on Tuesday to win the two-match series 1-0.Left-arm spinner Motie followed his 7 for 37 in the first innings with 6 for 62 as Zimbabwe slipped to 173 all out in their second innings. The 27-year-old&#39;s haul of 13/99 was the best ever by a West Indian spinner in Test cricket, improving on Sonny Ramadhin&#39;s 11/152 against England at Lord&#39;s in 1950.Captain Craig Ervine provided the only sustained resistance for the hosts, making a stubborn 72 before being the ninth wicket to fall, leg-before to Motie. It was the fourth tour of the southern Africa country by the West Indies, and each time they have won a two-match Test series 1-0.In a post-match interview, West Indies captain Kraigg Braithwaite said he was &quot;very proud of the team&quot;. &quot;Good to see an all-round performance,&quot; he added. &quot;The pressure the pacers created was good to see. The bowlers did a fantastic job.&quot;The tourists now head to South Africa, where they will play two Tests, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals.Zimbabwe&#39;s problems began on the opening day when, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, they were dismissed for a paltry 115.&quot;Winning the toss, we needed to bat well on the first day,&quot; said Ervine, deputising as captain for the injured Sean Williams. &quot;We didn&#39;t. And that put us on the back foot from the start.&quot;Zimbabwe had also been hit by other changes courtesy of illness, injuries and franchise commitments -- with former England batter Gary Ballance, who made a century in the drawn first Test, among that absentees.&quot;Gary Ballance is such an experienced player, he brought stability. He left a big hole in the middle order,&quot; said Ervine.A West Indies reply that spanned three days, partly due to rain delays, ended quickly on Tuesday as they were bowled out for 292, losing their last two wickets for just two more runs to take a lead of 177.Batting a second time, Zimbabwe were two wickets down with only 15 on the board, Tanunurwa Makoni and Chamu Chibhabha making a single each before being returned to the pavilion.Opener Innocent Kaia fared better, reaching 43 before being caught by Joshua Da Silva after getting a faint edge to a Motie delivery that moved through the air.It was left to Ervine, deputising as captain for injured Sean Williams, to hold up the West Indies&#39; surge toward a series success. His runs came off 105 deliveries and included four fours, but Ervine was unable to build any partnerships as Motie worked his way through the line-up.Brandon Mavuta was the only other batter to reach double figures, making 16 before being the eighth man out, caught at short leg of Roston Chase.Zimbabwe return to white-ball cricket in March, hosting the Netherlands in a three-match ODI series.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The 27-year-old's haul of 13/99 is the best ever by a West Indian spinner in Test cricket

Gudakesh Motie

Craig Ervine

West Indies tour of Zimbabwe, 2023

West Indies

Zimbabwe

Motie spins West Indies to series win over Zimbabwe

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/58071/roston-chase/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roston Chase</a> made 70 on Monday, as the West Indies built a 175-run lead with two first-innings wickets standing against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on a rain-affected second day of the second Test.Following a 150-minute stoppage soon after lunch, play resumed only be abandoned for the day after the rain returned. A severely depleted home side were dismissed for 115 on the opening day and the tourists reached 133 for the loss of four wickets by the close.An 85-run sixth-wicket partnership between Chase and Joshua Da Silva helped the West Indies reach 290 for the loss of eight wickets with three days remaining. Further interruptions are possible, however, with rain forecast for the rest of the week in the southwestern city.Chase faced 131 balls, hitting one six and four fours, before a full-length Vincent Nyauchi delivery squeezed between bat and pad and uprooted the middle stump.&quot;I was looking for a century so it was disappointing, but that was a very good ball by the bowler. So credit goes to him,&quot; Chase told reporters.&quot;I am happy with the position we are in. If we can create a lead of up to 250 runs, that will be enough for us.&quot;Wicketkeeper Da Silva struck five fours in his 44 before becoming another victim of quickie Nyauchi, who clean bowled him. Nyauchi and leg spinner Brandon Mavuta shared the bowling honours with three wickets each at the Queens Sports Club.&quot;It has been a bit difficult, but it is changing. It is now nipping a bit. We are happy to see that the ball is swinging now,&quot; said Nyauchi.&quot;I have always been a hard worker, always trying to take wickets. That is my job. The game is not on our side at the moment, it is on the West Indies&#39; side. We just have to bat well second time round and put runs on the board.&quot;Migraine headaches ruled out star Zimbabwe batter Gary Ballance and injuries sidelined captain and all-rounder Sean Williams and fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara. The home team are also without prolific run-getter Sikandar Raza and all-rounder Ryan Burl, who were released to play franchise cricket in the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh respectively.Zimbabwe and the West Indies drew the rain-affected first of two Tests in the fourth series between them in southern Africa with the visitors winning the previous three.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

On a rain-affected day, it was West Indies who came out on top in the second Test

Roston Chase

Joshua Da Silva

Chase's half-century helps West Indies to 175-run lead

Zimbabwe and West Indies will lock horns in the second Test match of the two-match series in Bulawayo. The first Test was a drawn affair which makes this a series decider. The Test match at the Queens Sports Club will begin on Sunday (February 13).&nbsp;Ground Details and Team CombinationIn Tests since 2011, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, has witnessed seven matches and it has been in favor of the batsmen. Batting teams have averaged 37.1, and in both first and in every innings of the match, 200+ runs have been scored on an average.Adding further, bowlers have bagged a wicket every 75.7 balls in the aforementioned time. At venues where 150+ wickets have been taken by the bowlers, this venue has been the worst among all for bowlers.In any case, the spinners have a slight edge over the pacers. The pacers have bagged 48.5 percent of the wickets as compared to 51.5 percent by spinners.So you can load your team with tight batters and spin bowlers which both sides have in fair proportion. &nbsp;Suggested teams<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676151483251-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from <a href="https://www.cricket.com/fantasy-research-center/219872/zim-vs-wi-2nd-test-west-indies-tour-of-zimbabwe-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cricket.com&rsquo;s Fantasy Research Centre</a>. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.Captaincy suggestionsFor small leagues: <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/7858/kraigg-brathwaite/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kraigg Brathwaite</a> ( c ), <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4617/gary-ballance/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gary Ballance</a> (vc)For grand leagues: <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/64264/alzarri-joseph/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alzari Joseph</a> ( c ), <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63709/tagenarine-chanderpaul/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tagenarine Chanderpaul</a> (vc)Stats That Matter&gt; Kraigg Brathwaite has been one of the most consistent performers in Test cricket in recent months. For West Indies, his tally of 894 runs is 480 more than the next best, Jermaine Blackwood. He has five fifties and three hundreds in 16 innings in this period. He likes to bat long which makes him the perfect batter for this pitch.&nbsp;&gt; Brandon Mavuta pouched a 5/140 and then scored 56 with the bat in the first Test, becoming only the fourth Zimbabwean to score a fifty and pick a five-for in the same Test innings.&nbsp;&gt; <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/57792/kyle-mayers/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kyle Mayers</a> has a unique record in home and away Tests. At home, he is a fantabulous bowler. He has a wicket every 15 runs and 39.4 balls. However, in away Tests, he has a lone wicket at an average of 131 and a strike rate of 282. But, while batting he has a better average in away matches (43.6) as compared to 31.5 at home. His all-round skills make him a vital player for this Test.&nbsp;Grand League Punts- Alzarri Joseph is one pacer who can be effective on this track which favors spinners. He put Zimbabwe in bother in the first Test too, picking three wickets in the first innings. If West Indies have to clinch this game, and hence the series, Joseph will have to play a big part with the ball.&nbsp;- Left-arm spinners have the second best bowling average among all bowling types in Tests in Bulawayo since 2011. That makes <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/64262/gudakesh-motie/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gudakesh Motie</a> a promising player to lead your Fantasy fortunes. He picked six wickets in the first Test for 160 runs.&nbsp;Here are the Top 10 Criclytics Projections&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676151827189-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Probable XIsZimbabwe: Innocent Kaia, Tanunuraw Makoni, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine ( c ), Gary Ballance, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Victor NyauchiWest Indies: Kraig Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh MotiePowered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Here are a few tips that could help you create your fantasy XI for the second Test between Zimbabwe and West Indies

Kyle Mayers

Kraigg Brathwaite

Alzarri Joseph

Gary Ballance

Brandon Mavuta

Fantasy: Load your fantasy fortunes with spinners and batters

The rain allowed only 89 overs of play on the first two days in Bulawayo. Yet, when stumps were called on Day 5, the match was only four wickets away from a result, or 139 runs, whichever way you want to look at it. Though Zimbabwe were never ahead in the game, they would be content with fighting back twice with the bat which never really pushed them out of the battle as well.&nbsp;In the first innings, it was Gary Ballance who marked his return to Test and Zimbabwean cricket with a timely hundred, which rescued the hosts from a follow-on threat to shifting the onus on West Indies to push for a win. In the second innings, it was the wicketkeeper batter Tafadzwa Tsiga who batted out 83 balls in the final session alongside Wellington Masakadza&rsquo;s 36-ball 0 not out to keep the Caribbeans at bay.&nbsp;There was also Brandon Mavuta&rsquo;s fifty in the first innings. He was dropped early in his knock when Jason Holder spilled a straightforward chance at mid-off. Had he taken it, West Indies could have romped to an easy win. That is what will irk them the most. Missing out on a win after creating chances. Heading to the second and final Test of the series, the Windies will have nothing but a victory in their mind. It is cliched but they need it for their own confidence after the drubbing they received in their previous Test series in Australia. Zimbabwe would like to keep the fighting spirits high and find a way to sneak into the match.&nbsp;Things to watch out for&nbsp;- In Tests since 2020, West Indies&rsquo; top seven batters average 28.7, which is lower than Zimbabwe&rsquo;s tally of 30.3. West Indies declared in both the innings of the first Tests which is a sign of a healthy batting line-up but most of the work was done by Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine, with a 336-run opening stand. The remainder of their batting still remains largely untested, even though Jermaine Blackwood and Raymon Reifer notched up fifties in the second innings.&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676130529444-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">However, most of West Indies&rsquo; undoing with the bat has been caused by opposition pacers. The Zimbabwean pacers average 43.7 runs per wicket collectively, second worst, out of whom Blessing Muzarbani has 19 scalps at 22.4 runs apiece. He is not in the squad and everybody else averages in excess of 45.&nbsp;- Kyle Mayers has a unique record in home and away Tests. At home, he is a fantabulous bowler. He has a wicket every 15 runs and 39.4 balls. However, in away Tests, he has a lone wicket at an average of 131 and strike rate of 282. But, while batting he has a better average in away matches (43.6) as compared to 31.5 at home. He has played over five Tests in both conditions.- In a 18-year old career, Chamu Chibhabha has played only four Tests, 109 ODIs and 36 T20Is for Zimbabwe. The Bulawayo Test was his first since 2017. With scores of only 9 and 31, along with two scores of 16 and 40 in two ODIs in January (his first few since 2020), Chibhabha will be under some pressure to vindicate his return at the age of 36.&nbsp;Pitch and conditions&nbsp;In Tests since 2011, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, has witnessed seven matches and it has been in favor of the batsmen. Batting teams have averaged 37.1, and in both first and in every innings of the match, 200+ runs have been scored on an average.Adding further, bowlers have bagged a wicket every 75.7 balls in the aforementioned time. At venues where 150+ wickets have been taken by the bowlers, this venue has been the worst among all for bowlers.In any case, the spinners have a slight edge over the pacers. The pacers have bagged 48.5 percent of the wickets as compared to 51.5 percent by spinners.Probable XIsBoth sides may field the same XI which took part in the first TestZimbabwe: Innocent Kaia, Tanunuraw Makoni, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine ( c ), Gary Ballance, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Victor NyauchiWest Indies: Kraig Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh MotiePowered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

West Indies created chances but missed out on a win in the first Test of this two-match series

Chamu Chibhabha

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

West Indies aim to complete unfinished business in Round 2 in Bulawayo

What&rsquo;s made the headlines?Women&rsquo;s Premier League less than a month away&nbsp;The wheels continue to be in motion to stage the maiden season of the much-awaited Women&rsquo;s Premier League. After the announcement of the team owners towards the end of January, the second week of February saw BCCI confirm the base itinerary for the tournament. We don&rsquo;t have the fixtures out yet but we now know the tournament will begin on March 4, with the final scheduled on March 26. The tournament will be played entirely at Mumbai&rsquo;s Brabourne Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium.&nbsp;BCCI also confirmed the auction on February 13 in Mumbai. Read our piece on <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/wpl-2023-auction-players-who-could-go-for-the-big-bucks-1675862526074" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">players who could potentially attract a bidding war in the auction</a>. Considering that the T20 World Cup has just begun, right after the inaugural edition of the U19 Women&rsquo;s World Cup, you can say that Women&rsquo;s cricket has been under the limelight in the past few weeks.&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676107947278-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">WTC FinalMeanwhile, ICC have confirmed that the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship Final will be played between 7 and 11 June 2023, as two years of Test cricket reaches its conclusion at The Oval in England. Australia currently top the standings, with India in hot pursuit in second place.&nbsp;Finch retires&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4196/aaron-finch/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aaron Finch</a> has called time on his 12-year long international career. The T20 World Cup winning skipper retired from ODIs late last year. Now, announcing his retirement from T20Is, Finch has brought an end to his Australia career.&nbsp;He last played for Australia on October 31, when he led Australia in the 2022 T20 World Cup&rsquo;s group game against Ireland. Considering that Australia were not scheduled any T20 cricket until August 2023, Finch decided to draw curtains on his career citing the gap.&nbsp;&quot;Realising that I won&#39;t be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment step down and give the team time to plan and build toward that event,&quot; Finch said while announcing his selfless decision.Lamichhane returns<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/66066/sandeep-lamichhane/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sandeep Lamichhane</a>, former captain of the Nepal side, is included in the national side for the tri-series against Namibia and Scotland in Kirtipur.&nbsp;The 22-year-old can make his first appearance after being arrested on 6th October 2022 on the charges of sexual harassment against a 17-year-old girl. Lamichhane spent the rest of the year behind the bars and was granted bail last week, following which he resumed his cricket training. The tri-series, a part of the ICC&#39;s Cricket World Cup League 2, will begin on February 14.&nbsp;What&rsquo;s going on in international cricket? &nbsp;- Moving on to actual cricketing action, we had a couple of Test matches scheduled in the second week of February. Rain allowed only 89 overs of play on the first two days of the first Test between Zimbabwe and West Indies in Bulawayo. But we still had plenty to cherish - a grand 336-run stand between <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63709/tagenarine-chanderpaul/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tagenarine Chanderpaul</a> and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/7858/kraigg-brathwaite/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kraigg Brathwaite</a> with massive hundreds for both the openers, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/64264/alzarri-joseph/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alzarri Joseph</a>&rsquo;s fiery spell of reverse swing that almost had Zimbabwe on the mat before we saw an admirable fightback from the hosts to draw the game.&nbsp;The fightback was engineered by <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4617/gary-ballance/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gary Ballance.</a> He marked his return to Test cricket after six years with a timely hundred for his new team - Zimbabwe. He thus became only the second cricketer after Kepler Wessels to score a Test hundred for two different nations. In another second, Tagenarine and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/766/shivnarine-chanderpaul/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shivnarine Chanderpaul</a> have forged only the second father-son pair to score Test double hundreds, following the suit of Pakistan&rsquo;s Hanif (father) and Shoaib Mohammad (son).&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676107986247-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">And last but not the least, there was also Brandon Mavuta, who pouched a 5/140 and then scored 56 with the bat, becoming only the fourth Zimbabwean to score a fifty and pick a five-for in the same Test innings.&nbsp;- India have romped to a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, rolling over the touring Aussies in a three-day finish. <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/3850/ravindra-jadeja/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ravindra Jadeja</a> (5/47, 70 and 2/34), <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/3852/rohit-sharma/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rohit Sharma</a> (120), <a href="http://Axar%20Patel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Axar Patel</a> (0/28, 84 and 1/6) and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4555/ravichandran-ashwin/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> (2/42, 23 and 5/37) were the prominent stars. Australia were bowled out for scores of 177 and 91.&nbsp;Women&rsquo;s cricketWithin a space of eight days, the fortunes of South Africa&rsquo;s women&rsquo;s cricket team have fluctuated from north to south. On February 2, they clinched the home T20I tri-series, beating India in the final. But South Africa and home World Cups have not gone well together. They crashed out before the semifinals in both 2003 and 2007. And on February 10, they started their Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup campaign with a shocking 3-run defeat against Sri Lanka. Not a great start for a side that was already under controversy for dropping their regular skipper on grounds of fitness.&nbsp;Franchise cricket- Onto the omnipresent franchise cricket, BBL saw a cracking final last Saturday (February 4). No one expected Brisbane Heat to beat Perth Scorchers at their own den. But the Heat pushed Scorchers to the hilt until Cooper Connolly and Nick Hobson (16 T20 innings between them before the final) hammered 38 off the final three overs. The Scorchers won their fifth BBL title.&nbsp;<img src="https://images-cricketcom.imgix.net/1676108182640-articleimg" style="width: 600px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">- Both ILT20 and SA20 are reaching the culmination point in the maiden season. Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape will lock horns for the maiden SA20 crown in Johannesburg on February 12. The final was initially scheduled for Saturday but had to postponed due to inclement weather and a waterlogged field. If you haven&rsquo;t followed the league, we have got you covered with<a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/opposing-modus-operandi-adds-spice-in-maiden-sa20-summit-clash-1676098689017" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;the road to the final for both sides</a>. In ILT20, Desert Vipers and Gulf Giants will clash in the final on the same date - February 12.- In BPL, Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal will kick off the play-offs stage with the Eliminator in Mirpur on February 12. Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians will have a second bite at the final, courtesy of finishing in the top two with 18 points each.&nbsp;Domestic cricket- <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/10115/mayank-agarwal/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mayank Agarwal</a>&rsquo;s double hundred deserves all the praise in the semi-final stage of the ongoing Ranji Trophy. But 160 from the veteran Sheldon Jackson and 202 from skipper Arpit Vasavada has put Saurashtra in with a great chance to advance to the final. They have taken a 120-runfirst innings lead. &nbsp;- In the other semi-final, Bengal has a tight grip over Madhya Pradesh in Indore. Again, the stage was set in the first innings itself. MP were rolled over for 170 in response to Bengal&rsquo;s 438. Akash Deep picked 5/42 after centuries from Sudeep Gharami (112) and Anustup Majumdar (120).Articles&nbsp;1525 players had registered for the auction and a total of 409 cricketers - 246 Indians and 163 overseas - are set to go under the hammer. The five franchises, based out of Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, and Bengaluru, will be contesting for 90 slots with 30 being slotted for overseas players. Here is Bastab Parida with all major and minor details regarding the first ever WPL Auction which <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/hola-bring-on-the-wpl-1676024899500" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">could be the beginning of something special</a>.Let&rsquo;s not forget the Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup amidst the razzmatazz of T20 cricket. <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/ten-teams-one-trophy-and-a-chance-for-india-to-rewrite-history-1676003355809" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ten teams, one trophy and a chance for India to rewrite history</a>. Shweta Haranhalli presents you India&rsquo;s chances at the showpiece event in the Rainbow Nation.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Pramod Ananth had a <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/adam-zampa-disappointed-with-snub-but-test-cricket-remains-a-burning-desire-1675774794616" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">candid conversation with Adam Zampa</a>. It is a must read. The leg-spinner talked about his special connection with Rajasthan Royals, his new IPL franchise and his emotions regarding Test cricket and not making it to Australia&rsquo;s Test squad for the series in India.&nbsp;Watch This<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JVmpg0-WuZk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

In this newsletter, we take you through all important cricket updates, providing a one-stop destination to satiate the cricket nerd in you

Ravichandran Ashwin

Aaron Finch

Axar Patel

Ravindra Jadeja

Rohit Sharma

Sandeep Lamichhane

Adam Zampa

Mayank Agarwal

Big Bash League, 2022/23

SA20 League, 2023

Australia tour of India, 2023

Ranji Trophy, 2022/23

International League T20, 2023

Bangladesh Premier League, 2023

India

Australia

India Women

Sri Lanka Women

South Africa Women

Perth Scorchers

Brisbane Heat

Nepal

Pretoria Capitals

Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Desert Vipers

Gulf Giants

The Cricket.com Weekly – Edition 17

Zimbabwe survived the loss of first innings centurion Gary Ballance and some testing spin bowling from West Indies duo Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase to cling on for a draw in the first Test in Bulawayo on Wednesday.Set 272 to win in a minimum of 49 overs after West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite declared their second innings at 203 for five, Zimbabwe staggered to 134 for six before stumps were drawn.That represented a gritty rearguard from the Zimbabwe lower order after they had slumped to 119 for five with former England batter Ballance edging Chase to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva for 18.Any thoughts of chasing down the notional target were long gone with the emphasis shifting to surviving the last 70 balls at the Queens Sports Club. Brad Evans was dismissed eight balls later for a duck and, having claimed six wickets through Motie and Chase, the tourists sensed a dramatic victory.But wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga dug in with a dogged 24 not out off 83 balls while tail-ender Wellington Masakadza saw off 36 deliveries for a vital match-saving nought not out.The first three innings in the match were all declared with almost 100 overs lost to rain over the first two days. West Indies opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul was named player of the match for his 207 not out in the first innings, his first Test century.Ballance also enjoyed a memorable debut for Zimbabwe, marking it with a first innings 137 which made him only the second batsman after Kepler Wessels to score Test centuries for two countries.Ballance struck four tons for England before his century against the West Indies while South Africa-born Wessels hit four for Australia and two for his homeland. Motie bowled 24 overs and claimed four for 50 while Chase took two wickets while conceding only nine runs in 12 overs that included six maidens.The second and final Test starts on Sunday.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Set 272 to win in a minimum of 49 overs, Zimbabwe staggered to 134 for six before stumps were drawn

Zimbabwe survive Ballance blow to draw with West Indies

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/4617/gary-ballance/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gary Ballance</a> became only the second Test batsman after Kepler Wessels to score a century for two countries, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/live-score/219871/commentary/zim-vs-wi-1st-test-west-indies-tour-of-zimbabwe-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hitting an unbeaten 137 for Zimbabwe against the West Indies in Bulawayo</a> on Tuesday.Needing at least 248 runs in reply to a West Indies&#39; declaration of 447-6 to avoid a possible follow-on, Zimbabwe declared at 379-9 after the second session on day four of the first Test.That left the hosts trailing by 68 runs after the first innings in their first Test since losing to Bangladesh two years ago. Batting again, the tourists were 21-0 at the close, giving them an overall lead of 89 runs going into the final day at the Queens Sports Club.Harare-born Ballance scored four centuries for England during the last decade before returning home to make his Test debut for Zimbabwe in this match at Queens Sports Club.South Africa-born Wessels scored four centuries for Australia before returning home and making two more for his homeland when they were readmitted to Test cricket in the 1990s.Ballance and leg spinner Brandon Mavuta, who made 56 before playing across the line to a short delivery and being bowled by Jason Holder, put on 135 in a brilliant eighth-wicket stand.Aware of his key role having come in at number five with Zimbabwe 114-3, Ballance was the epitome of caution, painstakingly building his innings. By the declaration, the 33-year-old had faced 231 balls and his total included two sixes, one of which took him to his century, and 12 fours.While Ballance was foiling West Indies&#39; plans to bowl out Zimbabwe cheaply and force them to immediately bat again, Mavuta played a superb back-up role. Having taken five West Indies wickets, he proved equally skillful with the bat and did not hold back when offered scoring chances as he slammed nine fours.The day began with Test debutant Innocent Kaia on 59, but he could add only eight more before being trapped leg before by fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for 67. Kaia fluffed an attempted flick and was hit high on the front pad. A review was not possible as the DRS (decision review system) is not being used in this series.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The left-hander became only the second batter to score a century for two countries

Innocent Kaia

Gary Ballance's century keeps West Indies at bay

Tagenarine Chanderpaul made an unbeaten double century after setting a new West Indies record of 336 for the first wicket with Kraigg Brathwaite on Monday before the tourists declared at 447-6 in the first Test against Zimbabwe.The opening stand at the Queens Sports Club in the southwestern city of Bulawayo surpassed the 298-run partnership shared by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes against England in 1990.Zimbabwe were 114-3 in reply at stumps on the third day -- 333 runs behind -- with Innocent Kaia, one of five Test newcomers in the team, unbeaten on 59 having struck nine fours. The final delivery of the day saw one skipper dismiss another as Brathwaite clean bowled Craig Ervine for 13 with a deceptively quick ball.Brathwaite made 182 before being trapped leg before while Chanderpaul, the son of former West Indies skipper Shivnarine, finished on 207 not out after hitting a six to reach a double ton in only his third Test outing.It is the ninth highest opening Test partnership, a long way short of the overall record of 415 added by South Africa&#39;s Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2008. Both batsmen began day three with hundreds under their belts as West Indies resumed on 221 without loss after two rain-affected days.The scoring rate had been under two and half until that point but Brathwaite, 116 not out overnight, immediately set about the attack with the run rate early on standing at five per over. Brathwaite clattered his way to 182 before being trapped by spinner Wellington Masakadza.The captain misread the length and tried to sweep a full-length delivery on off stump, ending an innings which spanned 312 balls and included 18 fours. It was a welcome return to form for Brathwaite, who made only 19 and three against Australia in his last Test, two months ago in Adelaide.It was small reward for the Zimbabwe bowlers who had toiled 114 overs before making the breakthrough. They were rewarded with a second wicket before lunch when Kyle Mayers was bowled through the gate for 20 by leg-spinner Brandon Mavuta, who went on to take five wickets at a cost of 140 runs.But the wicket that eluded him and four other Zimbabwean bowlers was that of Chanderpaul who, picking up the tempo from a sluggish first two days, struck three sixes and 16 fours before West Indies declared soon after lunch.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Brathwaite made 182 before being trapped leg before while Chanderpaul, the son of former West Indies skipper Shivnarine, finished on 207 not out

Chanderpaul hits unbeaten double ton as Windies dominate

<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63709/tagenarine-chanderpaul/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tagenarine Chanderpaul</a> struck his first Test century and fellow opener <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/7858/kraigg-brathwaite/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kraigg Brathwaite</a> also reached three figures as the West Indies reached 221 without loss on Sunday after a rain-affected second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.Captain Brathwaite recorded his 12th Test ton as he made 116 while Chanderpaul, son of West Indies great Shivnarine, closed on 101. It is the highest opening partnership by West Indians since Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell scored 254 against New Zealand in Antigua 11 years ago.Saturday&#39;s play had been abandoned because of rain soon after lunch with the tourists 112-0 and the inclement weather intervened again. Play was only able to start at 1500 local time (1300 GMT) on Sunday after sawdust had been scattered across the damp areas in the outfield.As was the case on the opening day, the West Indies openers took few chances, scoring at fewer than two and half runs per over against some tight Zimbabwe bowling on a sluggish pitch.Brathwaite, who has been in a rich run of form, looked the more comfortable and was the first to reach his century. By the close he had faced 246 balls and hit seven fours.Chanderpaul was more circumspect although there were moments when he played like his father who only retired from Test cricket eight years ago, having racked up 30 centuries in 164 Tests.While it took his father 19 Tests to reach his first century, Chanderpaul junior has needed just three. The 26-year-old left-hander only made his debut in Perth against Australia in November when he scored 51 and 45. He followed that with 47 and 17 in Adelaide and looked at home alongside Brathwaite in Bulawayo.He struck 10 fours and a six during the course of his innings, bringing up his century with a neat tuck behind square for a single. &quot;He (Chanderpaul) looks to be world-class and is a top opener,&quot; said Brathwaite at the close. &quot;Glad we have got some big partnerships thus far and would love to continue.&quot;Each of the Zimbabwe bowlers deserves credit for keeping a tight rein on the West Indies scoring, spinner Wellington Masakadza conceding just 30 runs from a tight 16 overs which included six maidens.The match, which is the first for the West Indies with Brian Lara acting as performance mentor, is the first of two in a Test series in Bulawayo. The second is scheduled to start on February 12.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Captain Brathwaite recorded his 12th Test ton as he made 116 while Chanderpaul closed on 101*

Chanderpaul, Brathwaite reach triple figures on another rain-hit day

West Indies openers<a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/7858/kraigg-brathwaite/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Kraigg Brathwaite</a> and <a href="https://www.cricket.com/players/63709/tagenarine-chanderpaul/career-stats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tagenarine Chanderpaul</a> scored half-centuries before rain ended play early in the first day of the first Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday.Play will begin at 0930 local time (0730 GMT) on the next four days to compensate for the lost time, although there are concerns of further weather interruptions.The tourists were 112-0 off 51 overs in Bulawayo as they sought to extend an unbeaten Test record against the hosts having won seven of the previous 10 and drawn three.&quot;The pitch looked good for batting, but we knew rain would be a factor,&quot; said captain Brathwaite of his decision to bat having won the toss.&quot;Today is history, today is gone, we have to come back tomorrow and start setting the foundation again.&quot;Obviously, Zimbabwe are going to come back strong, so it is important that we start well tomorrow.&quot;Chanderpaul said: &quot;You have to be patient up front. The guys were bowling well so you have to dig in and score when you can.&quot;Brathwaite was first to reach 50, thanks to three runs from a drive past mid-off, and also scored two fours in an unbeaten 55 when rain intervened.Chanderpaul was also 55 not out at the Queens Sports Club having scored a second half-century in only a third Test appearance. His knock included eight fours.The first Test of two in southwestern Zimbabwe marked the debut of West Indies legend Brian Lara as national teams performance mentor.Lara, scorer of 11,953 runs in 131 Tests, is assisting interim coach Andre Coley as the West Indies seek a return to winning ways after a 2-0 Test series loss in Australia two months ago.Spinners Wellington Masakadza (0-13) and Brandon Mavuta (0-18) were the most successful Zimbabwe bowlers.Craig Ervine captained Zimbabwe as Sean Williams is injured while star all-rounder Sikandar Raza missed out due to franchise commitments in the United Arab Emirates.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

West Indies raced to 112/0 before rain played spoilsport

WEST INDIES TOUR OF ZIMBABWE 2023

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