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West Indies put their shock first One-day International defeat by Zimbabwe behind them to beat the hosts by 110 runs and level the 5-match series 1-1 at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

The visitors scored a formidable 286-9 but captain Chris Gayle fell headlong with a leg injury going for a fast second run and was taken off by stretcher. Zimbabwe, who won the toss and chose to field first, managed a hard working but ineffectual 176 all out in reply. Raul Lewis took three for 43 in 9.3 overs.

Gayle had scored 58 when he incurred a strained ligament to his right leg diving for the line. It is not certain whether he will be able to play in the next match. Two days may not be enough time to repair a ligament problem.

Dwayne Bravo took over and 12th man Darren Sammy was conscripted to field. Other significant run scorers for the tourists were Runako Morton, who added 79 in 94 balls to his 54 during the first match on Friday. Marton is quickly making his mark on the tour and he now has eight ODI half-centuries.

Marlon Samuels sped to 43 in 42 balls, hitting three sixes. Also smashing three sixes during his short stay was Ravi Rampaul. West Indies had lost Devon Smith early on, but it made no difference to their performance or their determination to succeed, even though Shivnarine Chanderpaul made an unusually low contribution of five runs.

Zimbabwe struggled to make any impression in their reply, scoring only 55 for fifteen overs at little more than three an over. They were simply unable to break free of tight West Indies bowling.

More spirited efforts were evident lower down, but the home side had already lost the match very early in the afternoon. The third encounter will be on this ground on Tuesday, and West Indies now hold the upper hand. The crowd then will be nowhere near the more than 10,000 spectators, a near record, who filled the stands here.

Zimbabwe won toss

West Indies

*C H Gayle retired hurt 58

D S Smith b Chigumbura 2

R S Morton c Chibhabha b Utseya 79

S Chanderpaul run out (Utseya) 12

M N Samuels c Taibu b Dabengwa 43

D J Bravo c Taylor b Dabengwa 10

�D Ramdin c Chigumbura b Chibhabha 16

R N Lewis c Masakadza b Chibhabha 19

R Rampaul not out 26

J E Taylor c Chigumbura b Brent 3

D B L Powell run out (Brent) 1

Extras (lb4, w11, nb2) 17

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 286

Fall: 1-3, 2-149, 3-175, 4-214, 5-222, 6-251, 7-274, 8-284, 9-286

Bowling: Chigumbura 7-0-30-1 (1nb, 2w); Brent 8-1-47-1 (1w); Chibhabha 4-0-36-2 (1nb, 1w); Masakadza 3-0-17-0 (1w); Price 10-0-39-0 (3w); Utseya 10-0-56-1; Dabengwa 8-0-57-2 (1w)

Zimbabwe

V Sibanda c Ramdin b Taylor 12

B R M Taylor c Ramdin b Powell 27

C J Chibhabha c Samuels b Rampaul 11

�T Taibu b Bravo 6

H Masakadza c Ramdin b Bravo 0

S Matsikenyeri c Ramdin b Lewis 37

K M Dabengwa c Taylor b Powell 24

E Chigumbura c Bravo b Lewis 2

*P Utseya b Samuels 23

G B Brent c Ramdin b Lewis 12

R W Price not out 0

Extras (b6, lb5, w10, nb1) 22

Total (all out, 44.3 overs) 176

Fall: 1-42, 2-55, 3-55, 4-57, 5-65, 6-124, 7-131, 8-140, 9-170

Bowling: Rampaul 8-2-26-1 (4w); Powell 10-0-39-2 (1w); Taylor 8-1-17-1 (2w); Bravo 5-0-18-2 (2w); Samuels 4-0-22-1 (1w); Lewis 9.3-0-43-3 (1nb)

Result: West Indies won by 110 runs

Series: 5-match series level at 1-1

Man of the Match: Runako Morton

Umpires: B G Jerling (South Africa) and R B Tiffin. TV umpire: I D Robinson. Match referee: B C Broad (England)

Note: C H Gayle retired hurt at 123-1 (58, 23.3 overs)

First ODI: November 30 Harare, Zimbabwe won by 30 runs

Remaining matches: Tuesday (tomorrow) 3rd ODI, Harare. December 7 4th ODI, Bulawayo. December 9 5th ODI, Bulawayo

Source:Cricket News