BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Off-spinners Marlon Samuels and Shane Shil-lingford celebrated their return to the West Indies side by combining to wreck Zimbabwe on the opening day of the first Test yesterday.

Samuels, in his first international match of the year since recovering from a serious eye injury, finished with career-best figures of four for 13 while Shillingford, recalled after nearly a year in the wilderness, claimed three for 58 as Zimbabwe plunged from a position of 100 for two just after lunch to 211 all out in the final session.

However, lively seamer Kyle Jarvis (2-9) struck two lethal blows late in the day, removing opener Kieran Powell for five and nightwatchman Kemar Roach without scoring in successive deliveries to leave West Indies slightly rattled at 18 for two.

hit deep

In a bizarre seven-ball over, Powell played back and was trapped leg before wicket by one that would have struck leg and middle while Roach was hit deep on the back leg deep in his crease, and also palpably leg before wicket.

Talismanic opener Chris Gayle was unbeaten on 11 with stylish left-hander Darren Bravo yet to score.

Earlier, opener Tino Mawoyo top-scored with 50 while Craig Ervine got 29 and captain Brendan Taylor, 26, as Zimbabwe flourished in the early stages after opting to bat first at Kensington Oval.

After reaching a comfortable position of 100 for two just after the lunch break, Zimbabwe were undermined by Samuels and Shillingford and lost their last eight wickets for just 111 runs.

Fast bowler Roach, who took both wickets to fall in the morning session, finished with two for 31.

Zimbabwe started positively through Vusi Sibanda who struck three fours in 12 from 19 balls before perishing in the seventh over of the morning.

He survived a chance on four with as many on the board when his booming drive off the impressive Tino Best was floored at third slip by Bravo.

The classy right-hander failed to make the most of the reprieve and lost his leg stump as he played across a full length delivery from Roach with the score on 17.

Mawoyo and Hamilton Masakadza then consolidated, weathering an excellent spell from Best, to add 42 for the second wicket.

The right-handed Mawoyo struck seven fours off 95 deliveries in 133 minutes at the crease while Masakadza faced 37 balls and hit two fours in his 17.

Mawoyo started circumspectly but grew in confidence as the session progressed, cutting fast bowler Shannon Gabriel for four and stroking medium pacer and captain Darren Sammy to the cover boundary.

Masakadza, struck on the helmet by a short delivery from Best when three, composed himself nicely and looked to be set for lunch when he was prised out by a stunning catch at gully by Samuels.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe 1st innings

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-59, 3-100, 4-110, 5-135, 6-158, 7-196, 8-196, 9-197, 10-211.

Bowling: Roach 13-3-31-2, Best 12-3-33-0, Gabriel 14-5-45-1, Sammy 9-5-17-0, Shillingford 22-4-58-3, Samuels 6.4-1-13-4.

West Indies 1st innings

Total (2 wkts; 11 overs) 18

To bat: M. Samuels, S. Chanderpaul, +D. Ramdin,D. Sammy, S. Gabriel, T. Best, S. Shillingford

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-8.

Bowling: Jarvis 6-2-9-2 (w1, nb1), Chatara 4-3-8-0, Cremer1-0-1-0.

Toss: Zimbabwe.

Umpires: R. Martinesz, B. Oxenford;

TV: A. Hill.