Cable and Wireless ODIs: Jump and Wavell
If you weren't, you missed one of the most brutal and belligerent displays by two young Jamaican batsmen amidst unrestrained celebrations from 14 000 of their countrymen
Haydn Gill
03-Apr-2000
Kingston - Alison Hinds' voice kept emanating from the speakers in the
electrifying Mound Stand with the phrase: 'Are you there.'
If you weren't, you missed one of the most brutal and belligerent
displays by two young Jamaican batsmen amidst unrestrained
celebrations from 14 000 of their countrymen.
Sabina Park once more took on a Carnival-like atmosphere, especially
for one exhilarating hour when Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle destroyed
Zimbabwe's bowling with the type of fury of the hurricane that
devastated Jamaica 12 years ago.
The 23-year-old Hinds, taking advantage of a promotion in the order,
was the initial aggressor and was unbeaten on 116 off 125 balls when
the West Indies relieved Zimbabwe from their misery with the total 280
for three.
Gayle, age 20, provided even more fireworks in a whirlwind unbeaten 58
off 45 balls that prompted the similar type of whistle-blowing,
flag-waving and Mexican waving that had engulfed the ground the day
before.
By then, the match was virtually finished as a contest and the place
never generated the same excitement and intensity in a Zimbabwe
innings that never seriously mounted a challenge.
The tourists, pegged back by Curtly Ambrose's mean ten overs that cost
19 runs and Reon King's three successive maidens at the start and
three wickets later, finished their 50 overs on 239 for eight, 41
behind the West Indies' highest total in eight One-Day Internationals
against their African opponents.
The second successive defeat for Zimbabwe has left them in a must-win
situation for their next match in the tri-nation series against
Pakistan at the Antigua Recreation Ground on Wednesday.
The pattern for the West Indies' innings was almost identical to the
previous day, but Hinds and Gayle corrected what went wrong on
Saturday during the final ten overs.
In the first match, the West Indies reached 181 for two after 40
overs, but lost seven wickets for 56 in the last ten. Yesterday, there
were no such problems in the happy hour when Hinds and Gayle clobbered
exactly 100 runs from the final 60 balls.
Captain Jimmy Adams' run out for 41 off 54 balls from another direct
throw by Stuart Carlisle would have brought back memories of the first
match when the West Indies were plagued by four run-outs.
But, those would have been out of everyone's minds when Hinds and
Gayle plundered the bowling and put so much pressure on Zimbabwe that
their fielding was not of the impeccable standard they had set on this
tour.
On another day, Hinds might have been caught by Grant Flower running
back from mid-wicket when he was 82 or by Gary Brent coming off the
deep backward square boundary when he was 96.
The latter was a miss that allowed Hinds to reach his hundred and he
immediately punched the air with more force and aggression that is not
even common among heavy-weight boxing champions.
He had justifiable reason to do so.
Sent in at his accustomed No. 3 position in place of Gayle, he
responded with an innings that became more of a joy to watch as it
progressed.
His runs were made in all directions, but he was especially more
enter-taining when he was driving through the covers, down the ground
or on the pull.
By the time Gayle joined him in the 36th over, Hinds had just passed
his 50 and the two left-handers scored at about the same rate
throughout their partnership of 125 off 91 balls.
It included two big sixes, the first lifted by Hinds off Grant
Flower's left-arm spin and the second hit high and hard by Gayle over
long-off off Henry Olonga.
Gayle needed a couple balls to adjust to the pitch and the bowling,
but once he did so, no one could contain him and his 58 came off only
45 balls and included five fours.
Zimbabwe might have been encouraged when they removed openers Sherwin
Campbell and Philo Wallace within seven runs after the Barbadians had
posted a half-century stand in quick time.
The optimism was prompted by Brent's introduction. He came on to bowl
his medium-pace after 11 overs and bowled Campbell with a ball that
had neither the line nor length to necessitate a steer to third-man.
Wallace still appeared to be struggling for form and after a few meaty
blows, he was bowled by Brent playing across the line in a manner that
was similar to his dismissal of the previous day.
Zimbabwe lost their openers after the early pressure against Ambrose
and King before Carlisle and Murray Goodwin again featured in their
second successive significant partnership.
Carlisle and Goodwin put on 47 for the third wicket, but by the time
Goodwin was bowled by Franklyn Rose, the asking rate had climbed to
more than seven runs an over.
Captain Andy Flower arrived to effortlessly compile 52 off 54 balls,
but it was too little much too late.
King was the one who broke the middle order with the scalps of
Carlisle, who hit a catch down the throat of mid-off and Dirk Viljoen,
a victim to an edged catch at first slip in the same over.
Even though Rose and Mervyn Dillon were expensive, the West Indies had
no cause for concern, thanks to Hinds and Gayle.
Facts of the match:
Details on the second One-Day International yesterday:
West Indies' 280 for three off 50 overs was their highest total in
eight One-Day Internationals against Zimbabwe