ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — Shane Shillingford continued to impress, but half-centuries from Andy Blignaut, Craig Ervine, and Tatenda Taibu saw Zimbabwe fight back in their four-day, first-class match against West Indies ‘A’ yesterday.

Off-spinner Shillingford captured four wickets for the second time in the match for 109 runs from 31 overs, as Zimbabwe, trailing by 95 runs on first innings, reached 322 for seven in their second innings at the close on the third day at the Queen’s Park Stadium.

But the West Indies bowlers failed to maintain control, as Blignaut hit half-dozen fours and three sixes in a blistering, unbeaten on 72 from 77 balls to lead the Zimbabwean fight-back.

Windies ‘A’ had already been put under pressure from Taibu, whose 59 from 110 balls, which included nine fours, and Ervine with six fours and one six in 58 from 137, as they started the revival of the visitors’ fortune.

This followed the dismissal of the home team inside the first hour for 278, replying to Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 183.

Brandon Bess then provided the breakthrough for the A-Team, when he bowled Justice Chibhabha for 17.

Shillingford then spun into action, when he bowled Hamilton Masakadza for 30, and then Brendan Taylor for five to leave Zimbabwe 61 for three before lunch.

After the interval, West Indies failed to take a wicket, as Ervine joined Taibu and they carried Zimbabwe to tea on 154 for three.

Shortly after the break, hometown boy Nelon Pascal removed Taibu, and this triggered some instability in the Zimbabwe batting.

Scoreboard

ZIMBABWE 1st Innings 183

WEST INDIES ‘A’ 1st Innings

(overnight 254 for five)

K Brathwaite c Taylor b Mpofu 30

J Guillen lbw b Mpofu 25

J Haynes c Taylor b Maruma 17

*T Dowlin c Chatara b Cremer 84

K Edwards c Blignaut b Mpofu 67

+S Dowrich b Mpofu 17

I Khan c Maruma b Mpofu 9

S Shillingford c wkpr Taibu b Chatara 0

S Gabriel c Blignaut b Mpofu 7

B Bess c wkpr Taibu b Mpofu 1

N Pascal not out 8

Extras (b5, lb5, w1, nb2) 13

TOTAL (all out, 111.5 overs) 278

Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-63, 3-92, 4-217, 5-246, 6-257, 7-258, 8-266, 9-270

Bowling: Mpofu 27.5-13-37-7, Chatara 24-3-77-1, Cremer 23-3-53-1, Chibhabha 11-4-24-0, Maruma 18-2-55-1, Blignaut 7-2-16-0, Taylor 1-0-6-0

ZIMBABWE 2nd Innings

H Masakadza b Shillingford 30

J Chibhabha b Bess 17

B Taylor c Haynes b Shillingford 5

+T Taibu c Khan b Pascal 59

C Ervine c wkpr Dowich b Shillingford 58

C Coventry c Edwards b Khan 11

T Maruma c Khan b Shillingford 18

A Blignaut not out 72

G Cremer not out 30

Extras (b4, lb3, w2, nb8, pen5) 22

TOTAL (7 wkts, 88 overs) 322

Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-56, 3-61, 4-164, 5-187, 6-187, 7-219

Bowling: Pascal 15-2-51-1, Gabriel 12-2-47-0, Shillingford 31-7-109-4, Bess 10-3-31-1, Khan 20-3-71-1

Position: Zimbabwe lead by 227 runs with three second innings wickets standing

Umpires: J Greenidge, EJones