Sarwan leads West Indies to series whitewash

West Indies 266 for 8 (Sarwan 91, Chanderpaul 45, Lara 40) beat Zimbabwe 162 (Taylor 43, Sibanda 42, Smith 4-29) by 104 runs
Scorecard
How they were out

Shivnarine Chanderpaul cuts during his knock of 45. He also picked up the Man-of-the-Series award © Trinidad and Tobago Express

As expected, West Indies wrapped up another facile victory over Zimbabwe in the seventh and final ODI at Queen's Park Oval, and in so doing completed a 5-0 whitewash in a series that has never been remotely competitive. Only the abandonment two matches saved the Zimbabweans from a record seven losses in seven.

The margin of victory here - 104 runs - was academic from early in the Zimbabwe innings when it became apparent that they were again going to concentrate on survival rather than chasing. The Carib Beer girls kept partying until the end, but there was precious little entertainment in the second half of the match for another small crowd.

West Indies had won by half-time, their total of 266 for 8 putting the game beyond Zimbabwe's limited resources, but again their innings raised a number of concerns about the forthcoming series against India. The total was based on a solid 91 from Ramnaresh Sarwan, 45 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and lit up by a sparkling cameo from Brian Lara. Chris Gayle again looked out of sorts, and the middle order folded in a series of lofted drives and overambitious swats. In the context of this match, it mattered little, but against the Indians it will be crucial.

The innings started solidly, and it was only the arrival of Lara, when Chanderpaul was brilliantly caught by a running, tumbling Prosper Utseya on the wide long-on boundary, that brought the crowd and proceedings to life. The catch was greeted with hearty cheers, mainly because it meant that Lara was on his way to the middle - and he did not disappoint. After a few sighters, including a sublime one-handed cover drive, he launched Utseya for a straight six and then hammered Ryan Higgins for two more before perishing attempting a fourth.

Thereafter it was Sarwan who kept things ticking over as wickets fell, and as he closed in on what would have been a deserved hundred he went to a long-on catch by Elton Chigumbura off Tawanda Mupariwa, one of four catches Chigumbura held in the deep as the batsmen hit out. Only some late fireworks from Carlton Baugh, including the shot of the day - a drive on bended knee for six over cover - brought the crowd to life. Zimbabwe bowled much better than they did yesterday, although again it was Mupariwa and Utseya who stood out, and after two early spills they caught well.

Zimbabwe again started badly, with Terry Duffin surviving a string of close leg-before shouts from Fidel Edwards before he gloved one down the leg side, and then Piet Rinke was cleaned up after finally reaching double figures at the sixth attempt. Fittingly, he got off the mark with an edge through the slips.

Vusi Sibanda, who gave the top of the order some sense of permanency, and Brendan Taylor then set out their stall to bat through, regardless of the match situation, and in fairness to them that had to be an order from the dressing-room. Lara gave all his bowlers a chance, and it was perhaps telling that Gayle returned the most economical figures - 1 for 17 off 10 - as Zimbabwe battled for survival.

Sibanda's departure opened the floodgates, although Brendan Taylor kept plugging away until he was run-out by a brilliant pick-up and throw from Dwayne Smith. The brittleness of the Zimbabwe batting was shown as it folded without Lara even needing to bring back his big guns, Smith picking up four of the easiest international wickets that are likely to come his way.

Chris Gayle c Duffin b Mahwire 11 (28 for 1)
Leading edge lobbed to mid-off

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Utseya b Higgins 45 (99 for 2)
Brilliant juggling boundary catch on the run at wide long-on

Brian Lara c Higgins b Utseya 40 (166 for 3)
Tried to clear long-on for a fourth six

Dwayne Bravo b Higgins 17 (197 for 4)
Played back and missed straight one

Marlon Samuels c Chigumbura b Mupariwa 6 (204 for 5)
Holed out to long-on

Dwayne Smith c Chigumbura b Mupariwa 4 (214 for 6)
Another who holed out to long-on

Ramnaresh Sarwan c Chigumbura b Mahwire 91 (237 for 7)
Caught low down at long-on

Carlton Baugh c Chigumbura b Mupariwa 19 (250 for 8)
The fourth catch for Chigumbura, all at long-on

Terry Duffin c Baugh b Edwards 2 (10 for 1)
Gloved down leg side

Piet Rinke b Taylor 12 (34 for 2)
Squared up and played all round slower ball

Vusi Sibanda c & b Bradshaw 42 (93 for 3)
Leading edge attempting to flick to leg

Elton Chigumbura lbw b Smith 3 (102 for 4)
Yorked as ball struck toe dead in line

Gregory Strydom c Smith b Gayle 2 (107 for 5)
Carved attempted drive to backward point

Brendan Taylor run out (Smith) 43 (141 for 6)
Superb pick up at point and direct hit at bowler's end

Keegan Meth c sub (Morton) b Samuels 16 (142 for 7)
Cut to tumbling backward point

Ryan Higgins lbw b Smith 2 (151 for 8)
Slightly unlucky as appeared to hit just outside line

Tawanda Mupariwa b Smith 0 (151 for 9)
Ugly heave, completely missed

Prosper Utseya c sub (Morton) b Samuels 6 (162 for 10)
Well caught above head at deep midwicket