PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP) —Graeme Cremer captured three wickets for 11 runs as Zimbabwe’s spinners bowled the visitors to a stunning, 26-run victory over West Indies in a Twenty20 International here yesterday.

Zimbabwe exploited West Indies’ susceptibility to spin, as the home team, chasing a modest 106 for victory, was restricted to 79 for seven from their allocation of 20 overs to hand the visitors a win in the only T20I between the two sides in this series.

The Zimbabwe spinners shared all seven wickets with off-spinner Greg Lamb taking two for 14 from his four overs, while their captain Prosper Utseya and left-arm spinner Ray Price took one scalp apiece.

It was a complete reversal of fortunes, after Zimbabwe’s batting at Queen’s Park Oval was demolished by Darren Sammy and Sulieman Benn.

Choosing to bat, the visitors were dismissed for 105 in 19.5 overs, as Sammy collected five for 26 from 3.5 overs to trump Benn’s four for six from four overs for the third-best figures in a T20I.

Only Umar Gul of Pakistan with five for six from three overs against New Zealand in a Twenty20 World Cup match last year at the Oval, and Nehemiah Odhiambo with five for 20 from four overs for Kenya against Scotland earlier this year in Nairobi now have better figures in a T20I than Sammy.

Hamilton Masakadza hit the top score of 44 from 67 balls for the Zimbabweans, and Elton Chigumbura led a late charge with 34 from 19 balls to bring some respectability to the visitors’ total. No other batsman passed 20.