3rd ODI: West Indies favourites to whitewash Zimbabwe

Grenada: After a lacklustre performance in the first ODI, Zimbabwe put up a spirited show in the second to push West Indies but failed to overcome the brutal force of Kieron Pollard and surrendered the three-match series. In the third ODI at the National Cricket Stadium at St George's on Tuesday, Zimbabwe will be looking for a consolation win whereas the hosts will be eying a 3-0 whitewash.

Playing their first bilateral series in five months, Zimbabwe looked rusty in the first outing but in the second they showed potential with three of their top five getting to fifties and the bowlers' able to keep things tights in the middle. For West Indies, Ramnaresh Sarwan played his first significant innings since his comeback getting to his fifth ODI hundred and guiding a chase of 274. The captain Dwayne Bravo's six-wicket haul earned him the Man-of-the-Match award and also has sparked off the debate of Darren Sammy's position as a captain and player in the team.

Narsingh Deonarine, vying for a spot in the crowded middle order, did well with a 49-ball 42 to push his case further. The first ODI centurion Johnson Charles missed the second game but might be back in place of Kieran Powell, who fettered away two good starts at the top. Jonathan Carter, who flew in as a cover for Pollard in the first ODI, could also get a game in.

Zimbabwe looked rusty in the first outing but in the second they showed potential.

For Brendon Taylor's team, Craig Ervine and Malcolm Waller have done well in the series so far but his own form with the bat in the last two innings is a big worry. The pacers are no match to their West Indian counterparts and with Tendai Chatara having a forgettable debut, Zimbabwe might as well go back to Christopher Mpofu for the final ODI.

Probable XIs

West Indies: 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Kieran Powell/Jonathan Carter, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo (capt), 6 Narsingh Deonarine 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Tino Best.

Zimbabwe: 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendon Taylor (capt), 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Regis Chakabva (wk), 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Natsai M'shangwe, 11 Chris Mpofu.

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