BULAWAYO: Centuries from Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich at the tail end of West Indies' first innings took it to 448 all out on Day 4 of the second test against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
By stumps, Zimbabwe held a narrow lead but only had six second-innings wickets in hand at 140-4 and faced a challenge to keep West Indies at bay.
The lead was just 18 runs for the home team, which is 1-0 down in the series and needs to push for victory to get anything from the two-test contest.
The West Indies first innings was saved by captain Holder, who made 110 batting at No. 9, and No. 8 Dowrich, who made 103 for his first test century.
Their eighth-wicket stand was ultimately worth 212, taking West Indies out of trouble at 230-7 to a position of control at 442-8 when the partnership was finally broken by Zimbabwe seamer Tendai Chisoro (3-113).
West Indies was finally all out for a 122-run first-innings lead.
While Holder and Dowrich put West Indies in control with that double-century stand, quick bowler Kemar Roach pressed home the advantage with two wickets in the first six overs of Zimbabwe's second innings.
Roach (2-14) removed both openers and fellow quick Shannon Gabriel pitched in with the wicket of Brendan Taylor as Zimbabwe slipped to 46-4.
Sikandar Raza led the recovery with an unbeaten 58, with PJ Moor alongside him on 39 not out.
They pushed Zimbabwe into a narrow lead at stumps, but have plenty more work to do on the final day.