BRIAN LARA duly secured his first away victory as captain - and only the West Indies' fifth in their last 34 Tests overseas - seven overs and 35 minutes into the last day of the second and final Test against Zimbabwe here yesterday.
The rarity was enough to retain the Clive Lloyd Trophy, initiated for rivalry between the teams two years ago when it was won by the West Indies under Carl Hooper by the same 1-0 margin.
The brief series, a prelude to the far tougher prospect of four Tests against South Africa over the coming two months, was far closer than anticipated but, according to Lara, was "a good workout for us."
"A lot of people will say Zimbabwe are one of the minnows of Test cricket but I thought the eleven guys we played over the 10 days were very determined," he said.
For their eager opponents awaiting their arrival south of the border, there was nothing in the two Tests here to persuade them that the West Indies are likely to offer any stronger challenge than when they were overwhelmed 5-0 on their previous visit five years ago, also under Lara's leadership.
Utterly outplayed throughout the first Test, the West Indies only managed to squeeze an unlikely draw through the unbeaten defiance of their last pair, Ridley Jacobs and Fidel Edwards, for the closing 11 overs of the match.
It was a shock to the system and the pride of the young team, five of them on their first senior tour.
"We knew that Zimbabwe would be very confident after that first Test, that they knew they could have beaten us," Lara said.
"We set our minds on doing ourselves justice in this Test and, even everything didn't go to plan, we showed a lot of character and got the result we wanted," he added.
The win, by 128 runs, was sealed when Merv Dillon put an end to the last Zimbabwean resistance by breaching No.11 Blessing Mahwire's fragile defence and bowling him with the last ball of the day's seventh over.
After Lara's masterful 191, that earned him the Man of the Match award, ensured a first innings total of 481, Zimbabwe's last two wickets added 75 to whittle their deficit down to 104.
Zimbabwe put themselves back into contention on the fourth day by routing the jittery West Indies for 128 only to collapse themselves against opponents whose intensity typified the importance of the outcome.
Only the weather that brought a premature end to play on Saturday through fading light and rain obliged the West Indies to return yesterday to complete their mission with Zimbabwe 90 for nine.
They were delayed for seven overs, their wait extended when a ball in Dillon's second over rolled back off Mahwire's body into the stumps without dislodging the bails.
Dillon finally finished the job by ending Mahwire's last wicket partnership of 29 with captain Heath Streak.
The West Indies' reward for their triumph is a visit to one of Zimbabwe's famed game parks and a general sight-seeing trip over the next couple of days.
They change into their coloured gear and return to cricket for a match against Zimbabwe `A' in the town of Kwekwe on Wednesday that will serve as their only on-field preparation for five one-day internationals, the first two of which are back at the Queen's Sports Club here next weekend.
Ricardo Powell, whose power hitting and fleet footed fielding have made him the West Indies' most identifiable short game specialist, has arrived as the solitary change for the ODIs.
Daren Ganga and Omari Banks are the two excluded from the overall squad of 16 here but they will remain on tour.
Although coach Gus Logie reported yesterday that fast bowler Fidel
Edwards' left ankle has improved, he is likely to be given more time for the injury that restricted him to 11 overs in Zimbabwe's first innings of the second Test to fully heal.
Edwards did field for an hour and a half during the second innings on the fourth day, effecting a swift run out of Stuart Mazakenyeri and reporting no after effects. Even if fully fit, he was unlikely to be in the ODI starting eleven.
Jerome Taylor, the other young fast bowler who was put out of action by a lower back sprain during the first Test, has fully recovered and seems certain to be part of the attack on Wednesday and in the one-day series.
The West Indies want to maintain the momentum gained by their second Test triumph through the one-day series that also offers a chance for Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan to find the form that has so far eluded them in Zimbabwe.
Marlon Samuels, who scored 66 not out and 147 in his only match so far, is a certain starter and can further stake claims for a Test berth in South Africa.