The West Indies secured their first victory since May last year as opener Kraigg Brathwaite capped a brilliant match with an unbeaten half century in the third Test against Pakistan at Sharjah yesterday.
Brathwaite, who carried his bat in the first innings with 142 not out, was again unbeaten on 60 as the West Indies passed their 153-run target without further loss after beginning the fifth day on 114-5.
Shane Dowrich, who also finished with 60 not out, edged Mohammad Amir to third man for a boundary for the winning runs. Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1.
Photo: AFP
Brathwaite and Dowrich needed just 7.5 overs to score the 39 runs required. Brathwaite signaled his intent by driving fast bowler Wahab Riaz’s first ball of the day to cover for four.
“We showed character and fight,” said West Indies skipper Jason Holder. “This has been a long time coming, We are a young side in transition. We’ve done a lot of things good this series.”
Holder praised man of the match Brathwaite.
“Credit must go to Kraigg. He played an outstanding innings in the first innings and took responsibility in the second and helped us cross the line,” Holder said.
SRI LANKA, ZIMBABWE
AP, HARARE
Sri Lanka won the first Test, bowling Zimbabwe out with less than eight overs left in the match to win by 225 runs on Wednesday.
Chris Mpofu was the last man out as the home team were dismissed for 186 in their second innings at the Harare Sports Club.
The crucial moment came when Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer fell for 43 with just over 10 overs remaining when he appeared set to save the game.
Offspinner Dilruwan Perera took the final wicket for Sri Lanka.
AUSTRALIA, S AFRICA
AFP, PERTH, Australia
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc returned in style as Australia dismissed South Africa for 242 on day one of the first Test in Perth yesterday.
Returning from a gruesome leg injury sustained in training, Starc struck with the fourth ball of the match and bowled with pace to finish with four wickets as the tourists struggled after winning the toss and electing to bat.
The Australian pace attack, led by Starc (4-71) — returning after receiving deep cuts when he collided with equipment in training — and Josh Hazlewood (3-70), struck early as the Proteas slumped to 32-4.
Middle-order batsmen Temba Bavuma (51) and Quinton de Kock, who top-scored with an aggressive 84, rallied with a 71-run stand for the sixth wicket.
However, the visitors again stumbled when Bavuma and Vernon Philander fell just before tea as Australia regained control.
The hosts had no such problems with the bat, reaching 105-0 without loss at stumps.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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