Zimbabwe v West Indies, 1st Test, Bulawayo, 4-8 February, 2023

This one snuck up on me. A good start by the West Indies with an opening partnership already > 100 between Brathwaite and Chanderpaul junior. A little chunder is a Gag, so there's my offer for a shorthand sobriquet for him. At this stage it looks like he'll be around for a while, perhaps as long as his father. God knows the West Indies need some inspirational batsmen at the top of the order, and have done for some time.

Interesting to see Gary Ballance in the Zimbabwe team. Although born in Zimbabwe, he previously played 23 tests for England between 2014 & 2017 scoring 1498 runs @ 37.45. Ballance recently played ODIs & a T20 international for Zimbabwe against Ireland.

Yeah, looked like he was going to become a real mainstay for us for a year or two, even if he wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing batsman… then it turned out he just couldn’t play full-pitched pace bowling.

Of course the Yorkshire racism debacle, which still rumbles on, was probably the reason he returned to his country of birth. Will be interesting to see how he does. The last England Test player to subsequently play for another country I think was Boyd Rankin, who I think doubled his England tally of one Test (injured at the end of an Ashes whitewash) with his native Ireland.

Double century opening stand now with both players reaching the individual milestone.

Another rain affected day in Bulawayo. Is it the rainy season in Zim?

It appears West Indies are proving what we all suspected about this team - their only decent batsmen are the openers.

1st wicket falls at 336. Now they are 5/416. I'll be kind & suggest maybe the middle order threw their wickets away in the quest for quick runs.

Brathwaite 182
Chanderpaul 189 not out

Chanderpaul sr. would probably still shore up the middle order…

Declaration made, little Chunder 207* and now averaging just under 92 in his third Test.

Innocent Kaia 59 not out on debut at stumps

Zimbabwe 3/114

Well done to the Ganja openers. Baby Shiv sure is quality.

The scorecard is reminiscent of WI v NZ at Hamilton in Dec 1999 (this match).

So the Bots have avoided the follow on, which should ensure the Draw.

And former Pom Test cricketer, Gary Ballance, has done good. Currently 78*.

Ballance has done a "Kepler"

Well done to Ballance on his unbeaten ton. He added 135 for the 8th wicket with Brandon Mavuta (56) then a further 57 with the last 2 batsmen before the Bots declared at 9 down 68 runs behind.

Now the Ganja openers both have a chance at a ton in each innings. WI 0-21 at stumps.

both out ... the little Chunder had a chance to get his Test average above 100 at the end of this match, but has failed to do that

Did we once have a stats thread on 'highest batting average after X Tests'?

Howstat has a table.

Just looking at that table now, and Smudge holds the record for the highest average (60.89) after his current 162 innings. The averages after innings 163 to 177 are all under 60. SRT holds the next 4 (57.82, 57.67, 58.46 and 58.13), so SPD Smith is a fair chance of grabbing those 4 spots (and beyond) if he goes OK in India.

The mighty Belf, 297 after 3 innings

I seem to remember it included a double century (presumably not out) against Bangladesh, after a battling 70-odd on debut v WI I think the year before. He and the emerging KP were competing for two Ashes places along with the veteran Graham Thorpe, who retired after the young pair got the nod. Seemed harsh on him at the time.

Which reminds me, there’s been absolutely no update on Thorpe since he was taken ill last year, even in terms of the nature of his condition. I know his family are entitled to their privacy, but it’s very strange to hear nothing at all, positive or otherwise. Just hope it wasn’t something self-inflicted given his documented mental health issues.