Tricky final day ahead for ...

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half-century that he reached from 107 balls when he drove Motie to deep cover for a single two overs before Ballance got to his landmark.

Holder returned for a spell immediately after the Zimbabweans resumed from 313 for seven at tea and bowled Mavuta in the seventh over after the break with a delivery that kept low and may create some suspicion about the pitch on the final day on Wednesday, when both sides try to push for a win.

Things continued to slip for West Indies when Ballance anchored two small partnerships with tail-enders Victor Nyauchi and Richard Nagarava to cut the deficit further before the declaration came.

Joseph was the most successful Windies bowler with 3-75 fom 26 overs, fellow pacer Jason Holder grabbed 2-55 from 17 overs without being threatening, and Motie persevered to grab 2-110 from 33 overs.

“We were not feeling any pressure because we had a fairly big total on the board, and we set out to win the game,” Joseph said after play.

“Of course, we wanted to get them out for as little as possible, but it didn’t happen. We have one more day of cricket, and we’ll be looking to go again and try to win.”

He added: “The pitch is pretty flat, and the final day should be a good batting day, but we will be trying to win the game.

“We were a bit surprised by the declaration, but we understand it because Zimbabwe is also trying to make a game out of it.”

Joseph struck in successive overs of his opening spell when he trapped

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 447-6 dec

ZIMBABWE 1st Innings

(overnight 114-3)

I. Kaia lbw b Joseph 67

T. Makoni c Mayers b Joseph 33

C. Chibhabha c wk da Silva b Motie 9

*C. Ervine b Brathwaite 13

G. Balance not out 137

+T. Tsiga lbw b Joseph 2

B. Evans c wk da Silva b Roach 7

W. Masakadza c Mayers b Motie 15

B. Mavuta b Holder 56

V. Nyauchi c da Silva b Holder 13

R. Ngarava not out 19

Extras (b2, lb5, nb1) 8

TOTAL (9 wkts dec, 125 overs) 379 debutant opener, Innocent Kaia lbw for 67 in the seventh over of the day, and he added the scalp of Tafadzwa Tsiga also lbw for two overs later.

Fellow pacer Kemar Roach followed up with the wicket of Craig Evans caught behind for seven, edging a back-foot drive, and Zimbabwe had sunk to 148 for five.

There were signs of the labour pains to come for West Indies, but they failed to heed the warning, when Wellington Masakadza came to the crease and easily added 45 with Ballance

Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-84, 3-114, 4-128, 5-132, 6-147, 7-192, 8-327, 9-341.

Bowling: Roach 15-4-35-1; Joseph 26-2-75-3; Mayers 10-4-22-0; Motie 33-10-110-2; Holder 17-2-55-2 (nb1); Chase 14-1-45-0; Brathwaite 5-1-12-1; Reifer 3-0-7-0; Blackwood 2-0-11-0. WEST INDIES 2nd Innings

*K. Brathwaite not out 11

T. Chanderpaul not out 10

TOTAL (without loss, 13 overs) 21 for the seventh wicket.

Bowling: Nyauchi 5-3-4-0; Masakadza 6-2-11-0; Evans 2-1-6-0. Position: West Indies lead by 89 with all second innings wickets standing.

Motie enabled the Windies to consume lunch with greater comfort when he got Masakadza caught at mid-off for 15, sinking Zimbabwe to 192 for seven, with Ballance limping to 38 not out, and the hosts still needing 56 to avoid the follow-on.

After lunch, things unravelled for Brathwaite’s side, and Ballance and Mavuta added 121 between lunch and tea, batting their side to safety, with West Indies failing to get a wicket.