JOIN USOpener Tino Mawoyo withstood a barrage of hostile West Indies bowling to post 45 not out and lead Zimbabwe to 91 for two in the opening session of the first Test at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday.
Mawoyo was struck on the chest with the first ball of the day and suffered through a further barrage of blows to the body as he helped deliver a solid start for the tourists in their first test in more than year.
A partnership of 42 for the second wicket with Hamilton Masakadza, who was hit on the head by a ferocious delivery from Tino Best, saw off the vagaries of variable bounce and a host of short pitched balls which made batting initially look difficult for the inexperienced Zimbabweans.
Vusi Sibanda was bowled for 12 in the seventh over after playing around a ball from Kemar Roach that uprooted his leg stump and the West Indian quickie also took the second wicket of Masakadza, out for 17.
Gully fielder Marlon Samuels made an extraordinary one handed grab to his left for the catch.
The start for Zimbabwe contrasts starkly with their last Test in New Zealand 14 months ago, where they were out for 51 in the first innings and 143 following on to lose by an innings and 301 runs.
Left-arm spinner Ray Price and legspinner Graeme Cremer, who were not in the squad for the preceding one-day series, were included to boost the bowling attack.
West Indies omitted Narsingh Deonarine and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul from its squad of 13.
The hosts included three fast bowlers in Tino Best, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel.