Cremer left wondering after poor batting

ZIMBABWE captain Graeme Cremer rued his side’s batting failure after West Indies completed a 117-run win in the first Test.

The hosts were 91-1 in the first innings before collapsing to 159 all out, and crumbled again in similar fashion on the fourth day when chasing a huge 434 to win.

But it was the lapses on day two, where it allowed the Windies a 60run first innings lead, that Cremer was most disappointed with.

Cremer said: “I thought on day one we were excellent with the ball and in the field.We had a really good opportunity there to go and put some runs on the board and put them under pressure, but we had too many soft dismissals on day two.

“For me it comes down to that first innings. Even if we had got 250, in their second innings they would have been under a bit more pressure.”

The tourists piled up a lead thanks to 86 from Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase’s 95. Devendra Bishoo then chipped in with 4-105 as Zimbabwe went from 246-5 to 316 all out. Bishoo ended with 9 for 184 in the match with Brendan Taylor, in his comeback Test match, topscoring with 73 in Zimbabwe’s second innings.

Cremer added: “It makes it easier when you are playing a lot more Test cricket, because you learn how to play different situations and you realise how much time there is in the game. I thought West Indies did it really well in the second innings - they slowed the whole game down and never looked rushed.”

“It’s something we need to learn to do a bit more, in those periods that are tough just soak up the pressure. Then the opposition search for wickets and you get to score. The more we play I’m sure we’ll get better at that.”

star man

DEVENDRA BISHOO – West Indies: Nine wickets in the match as Zimbabwe collapsed in both innings