Zimbabwe hoping for winning Streak
HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Captain Heath Streak inspired Zimbabwe to a 21-run win over the West Indies for a 2-1 lead in the five-match one-day series here on Wednesday.
He hit an unbeaten 65 in a 229-5 total and then took three wickets, including rival skipper Brian Lara, as the tourists were dismissed for 208.
Zimbabwe go into the last two matches, at the same venue on Saturday and Sunday, needing one more win to claim their first series victory in two seasons.
"We've got great team spirit -- we want to keep giving our all to try and win rather than sitting back and wondering what might have been," Streak said.
Streak was supported by big-hitting Mark Vermeulen who made 66 while Andy Blignaut later claimed four wickets.
West Indies were shattered when losing Lara for 34 and then Marlon Samuels and Ricardo Powell in successive Blignaut balls.
Chris Gayle, who top-scored with 61 despite having to leave the field earlier in the day with heart palpitations, gallantly tried to hold the innings together.
He notched up his 18th one-day half century but nobody could stay with him for any length of time.
Earlier, Zimbabwe got off to what has become a usual poor start when they lost four top order batsmen for 85.
The arrival of Streak settled the home side and together with Vermeulen he regained the initiative.
Streak said the wickets Blignaut took with consecutive balls were the turning point.
"At that stage they had a partnership going, and we had to get the breakthrough then," he maintained.
"Fortunately Andy bowled a couple of pearlers, and it was just what we needed at the time."
Lara was unhappy with his team's showing saying: "When you pick seven batsmen you expect to win the match. Chris (Gayle) played pretty well, but the team didn't pull together."
