Left-arm spinner Ray Price picked up three wickets as Zimbabwe took control on the third day of the first Test against the West Indies on Thursday.

When bad light ended play seven overs early, Price had claimed three for 39 and the West Indies had stumbled to 241 for six in reply to Zimbabwe's first innings of 507 for nine declared.

The West Indies had consolidated after Wavell Hinds threw away the chance of a century and Brian Lara fell cheaply, but the visitors then lost three wickets for just 29 runs in the final session to give Zimbabwe the advantage.

Hinds scored an aggressive 79 and Daren Ganga made a patient 73 but, by the close, West Indies still trailed their hosts by 266 with four first-innings wickets in hand.

Hinds and Ganga had added 72 in a brisk partnership for the second wicket before Hinds, facing medium pacer Blessing Mahwire, lofted a drive weakly to Andy Blignaut at mid-on.

Hinds blazed 15 boundaries with an assortment of cuts, pulls and drives in his 95-ball stay.

Lara and Ganga put on 52 for the third wicket but Price ended it when Lara tried to hit him for six and was well held on the long-on boundary by Mahwire for 29.

RICOCHETING BALL

Shortly after tea, Price trapped Ramnaresh Sarwan leg before wicket for nine and, nine balls later, Ganga was bowled by Mahwire as he pushed forward defensively, the ball bouncing upwards before ricocheting from his elbow on to the stumps.

Ganga had struck 14 fours in a little more than three hours at the crease.

Ridley Jacobs was the last to go, caught by Mark Vermeulen at silly point for five as he prodded forward to Price.

The start to the third day had been delayed for two hours after a ball being used by Zimbabwe during a warm-up rolled on to the pitch and under the wheels of a roller preparing the wicket.

The incident caused an indentation in line with leg stump and on a length.

Umpires Simon Taufel and Billy Bowden delayed the start while groundstaff carried out repairs. Play was further delayed for 15 minutes by rain.

The West Indies had resumed on 11 without loss and brought up the 50 in the 11th over of the day after Chris Gayle crashed two head-high drives for four off fast bowlers Heath Streak and Blignaut.

Streak got his revenge when he squared Gayle up with a delivery that held its line after pitching to trap the left-hander in front for 14.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe (1st innings): 507-9 decl (H.Streak 127, A.Blignaut 91, T.Taibu 83, S.Matsikenyeri 57; Edwards 5-133)

West Indies (1st innings): (11-0 overnight)
C.Gayle lbw Streak 14
W.Hinds c Blignaut b Mahwire 79
D.Ganga b Mahwire 73
B.Lara c Mahwire b Price 29
R.Sarwan lbw Price 9
S.Chanderpaul not out 19
R.Jacobs c Vermeulen b Price 5
V.Drakes not out 0.

Extras: (b-4, lb-4, nb-4, w-1) 13

Total: (for 6 wkts, 71 overs) 241

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-127, 3-179, 4-211, 5-215, 6-240.

To bat: J Taylor, F Edwards, C Collymore.

Bowling: Blignaut 14-3-68-0 (nb-3 w-1), Streak 18-4-55-1 (nb-1), Mahwire 18-5-60-2, Price 18-9-39-3, Matsikenyeri 2-0-10-0, Gripper 1-0-1-0.

Zimbabwe: V.Sibanda, T.Gripper, S.Carlisle, C.Wishart, S.Matsikenyeri, M.Vermeulen, T.Taibu, A.Blignaut, H.Streak, R.Price, B.Mahwire.