There was some bounce in the pitch which I tried to use, and it worked for me Fidel Edwards

Fidel Edwards grabbed the best figures ever by a debutant to lead West Indies to a 72-run victory over Zimbabwe.

The pace bowler took five wickets in his first four overs to reduce Zimbabwe to 22-5 at one point.

He returned to dismiss Tatenda Taibu for 66, finishing with 6-22 as Zimbabwe fell short of a rain-revised total of 223 from 32 overs.

The series is now level at 2-2, with the final match also at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

BEST BOWLING ON DEBUT 6-22 FH Edwards (WI) v Zim 2003/04 5-21 AIC Dodemaide (Aus) v SL 1987/88 5-26 SHU Karnain (SL) v NZ 1983/84 5-27 A Codrington (Can) v Bdesh 2002/03 5-29 AA Donald (SA) v India 1991/92

Earlier, Wavell Hinds' century took the tourists to 256-3 in 45 overs before bad weather interrupted the match.

Edwards, 21, took a wicket with his very first ball in international cricket on his way to the third-best figures ever by a West Indian.

Barney Rogers was bowled by a perfect yorker, making a mockery of the home side's decision to replace Trevor Gripper.

Vusi Sibanda and Craig Wishart fell to successive deliveries in Edwards' second over, the opener caught off a faint edge and the veteran out lbw first ball.

He swung the ball, he bowled with good pace, and he deserved his haul Heath Streak on Edwards

Mark Vermeulen made six before being forced into an awkward defensive shot which lobbed to gully and Stuart Matsikenyeri geo a leading edge to mid-on.

Taibu battled back for Zimbabwe, sharing a stand of 25 with skipper Heath Streak and 99 with Sean Ervine.

But West Indies' medium-pace bowling prevented the seventh-wicket pair from keeping to the required rate.

Hinds was left stranded on 127 when rain disrupted the match

After facing 85 balls, the wicket-keeper lost his off-stump mis-timing a heave at Edwards.

Ervine was left 37 not out.

Despite losing the toss, West Indies got off to a spectacular start, Chris Gayle joining Hinds in an opening stand of 96 in 15 overs.

Gayle crashed 51 from 34 balls before edging Ervine behind.

Is Edwards a legend in the making or just a one-off wonder boy against minnows? From Ruud Tendulkar Have your say on TMS

In process he passed 3000 career one-day international runs.

Brian Lara could only manage 14 but Ramnaresh Sarwan provided an ideal foil to Hinds, who reached three figures from 127 balls.

The Guyanese batsman fell three short of a half-century when he miscued a drive to deep cover.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul faced five balls before the heavens opened

Hinds was left unbeaten on 127, including 10 fours and two sixes.

Zimbabwe: Heath Streak (capt), Vusi Sibanda, Barney Rogers, Mark Vermeulen, Craig Wishart, Stuart Matsikenyere, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Sean Ervine, Ray Price, Gary Brent.

West Indies: Brian Lara (capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul.