Cricket: West Indies snatch victory from Zimbabwe

9:00 AM

BRISBANE - Ricardo Powell hammered an unbeaten 83 from 90 balls to guide West Indies to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Zimbabwe with eight balls to spare in the triangular limited overs series last night.

Zimbabwe, who won the toss in the day-night game, scored 240 for nine from their 50 overs, led by opener Alistair Campbell's 81 off 105 balls.

West Indies, hampered by poor shot selection from their top-order batsmen, edged to success at 241 for nine off 48.4 overs.

Opener Sherwin Campbell (42), Brian Lara, missed twice as he made 21, Marlon Samuels (34) and captain Jimmy Adams (24) all got a start but failed to anchor the innings.

With West Indies 183 for seven in the 38th over and the result in the balance, Powell led a dramatic late run chase as he added a crucial 46 with leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo for the eighth wicket.

Nagamootoo went for a big hit when victory was in sight and was caught by wicketkeeper Andy Flower off Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak for eight in the 46th over.

West Indies then needed 12 more off 28 balls and only two wickets in hand.

Nixon McLean attempted an ill-judged pull shot with the total 239 in the penultimate over and was caught behind by Flower off Guy Whittall.

Number 11 Cameron Cuffy tentatively pushed his second ball for a single to level the scores with nine deliveries left, leaving Powell, who hit nine fours and one six, to clinch victory by lifting the next ball over mid-wicket.

Adams punched the air in delight upon seeing the winning stroke, reflecting a rare moment of success in what has been a painful tour so far.

His side went down to a 5-0 sweep by Australia in the test series, and then lost the opening match of the triangular series to the home country by 74 runs in Melbourne on Thursday.

Zimbabwe had scrambled to 240 for nine despite losing four wickets for 20 in a middle-order collapse which included the wickets of Flower for 33 and Campbell, who was caught and bowled by off-spinner Samuels.

Campbell, who struck four fours and one six in 133 minutes, shared a third-wicket partnership of 86 with Flower, who was out at 154 in the 33rd over, just when it appeared the African side could score well over 250.

The hard-hitting Streak finished unbeaten on 34 off 28 balls with three boundaries, sharing a 40-run stand for the seventh wicket with Gavin Rennie, who made 29 off 39 balls.