On Monday, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite established a record-breaking partnership of 336 runs for the first wicket, with Chanderpaul remaining unbeaten on a double century before the West Indies declared their innings at 447-6 in the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. This stand was the highest for the opening wicket for the West Indies, surpassing the 298-run partnership between Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge that was made in 1990 against England.
The captain was unsuccessful when attempting to hit a long ball off the off stump, concluding innings which took 312 deliveries and included 18 fours. This was a good comeback for Brathwaite, who scored 19 and 3 in his last Test match two months ago in Adelaide, Australia.
The scoring pace had been low until Kraigg Brathwaite, who began the day with a score of 116 not out, suddenly began to increase the rate of runs to five runs per over. Unfortunately, he was dismissed at 182 after being trapped by Wellington Masakadza’s spin bowling. Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s son, stayed in the middle and achieved a double hundred in only his third Test match, finishing on 207 not out after hitting a six. Before this, both batsmen had already scored centuries as West Indies resumed on 221 without loss after two days of rain.
The Zimbabwean bowlers had to put in a lot of hard work for 114 overs in order to take the first wicket, and the reward for their efforts was not much. Later, Kyle Mayers was bowled for 20 by Brandon Mavuta, who went on to claim five wickets with a total of 140 runs. Unfortunately, their attempts to get the wicket of Chanderpaul were unsuccessful, as he picked up the pace and hit 16 fours and 3 sixes.
