ZIM vs WI: Brathwaite and Chanderpaul tons extend West Indies' grip on another curtailed day

Zimbabwe vs West Indies: After a wet outfield claimed the first two sessions on day 2 in Bulawayo, gritty centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw West Indies extend their grip on the first Test against Zimbabwe.

Only 51 overs were played on a rain-curtailed opening day, and West Indies – resuming from 112 for 0 – made the most of the 38 overs on offer on the second. Overnight rain meant that even though covers were off early on Sunday, the outfield was not fit for play and after several inspections, it was decided that the game would begin after tea. Both batters began the day on 55, and while Chanderpaul began to rotate strike better than on Saturday, it was Brathwaite who got the first couple of boundaries away.

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West Indies is in a really good position after 2nd day of 1st Test Match

With more than three sessions in the game already lost, the two openers upped the tempo, increasing the run rate from 2.03 on day 1 to 2.86 on day 2. The Zimbabwe bowlers toiled away again, but for the second day in a row, they had no wickets to show. Brathwaite brought up his 12th Test century in 226 balls in the 82nd over with a late cut past slip off left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza. His knock was predominantly about strike rotation and showcased excellent communication with Chanderpaul when running between the wickets.

He scored just five boundaries while making his century; the lowest boundary count in a Test century since 2002 is four. Throughout the two days, Brathwaite and Chanderpaul took risky singles, even after playing the ball to close fielders. This meant Zimbabwe had a few opportunities, but nothing clear cut, as the two openers kept the scoreboard ticking despite not being able to find the boundary with the kind of regularity they would have liked.