Sibanda sparkles in Zimbabwean win

Ramnaresh Sarwan's fighting 90 was in vain as Zimbabweans beat University of West Indies Vice Chancellor's XI by 76 runs in a tour game in St Andrews, Grenada on Wednesday. Sarwan, was recalled to the West Indies' ODI squad after 18 months and was a late addition to the University side.

The Zimbabwean innings was dominated by two, hundred-run partnerships between top order batsmen Tino Mawoyo and Vusi Sibanda and, later, Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza.

Masakadza scored an aggressive 56 off 42 balls, including six fours and two sixes. Sibanda eventually retired hurt for 147, but his knock had given the side a platform for a big score. A late flourish from Regis Chakabva, who struck 41 off just 20 balls, took Zimbabweans to 346.

The hosts were off to a dismal start, losing both their openers to Kyle Jarvis' pace with just six runs on the board. Wicketkeeper Shai Hope and Sarwan then steadied the innings with a partnership worth 75 runs.

Sarwan remained steady after Hope's dismissal, as his 90 runs off 72 balls went some way to helping him regain form ahead of the ODI series. He added 104 runs with Chaim Holder, and the University XI would have fancied their chances.

However, once Sarwan was out, the hosts began to flounder. A 54-run, tenth wicket partnership between Dawayne Sealy and Michael Bedward pushed the University XI's total past 250, but the Zimbabweans were able to dismiss the team for 270.