1st Test: Pakistan v West Indies at Sharjah, 31 Jan-4 Feb 2002 CricInfo Live Report

1st Test: Pakistan v West Indies at Sharjah, 31 Jan-4 Feb 2002
Anand Vasu

West Indies, 2001/02, 1st Test 2nd innings: Lunch - Day 5, End of match,
Live Reports from previous days

AKHTAR, RAZZAQ BOWL PAKISTAN TO COMPREHENSIVE WIN

From a position of relative security, West Indies were thrown into the depths of despair by a pair of umpiring decisions that left everything to be desired. Resuming after lunch on 111/1, West Indies suffered their first setback when third umpire Athar Zaidi ruled Sherwin Campbell run out. Scampering a quick single, Campbell managed to slide his bat just past the line when Ridley Jacobs received a throw from the field and whipped off the bails. With three camera angles it was impossible to conclude that Campbell had not made his crease. If anything, there was strong reason to suggest that Bajan was well home.

In more ways than one was Campbell's run out tragic. Despite being in all manner of trouble at the crease, the opener turned middle order batsman battled hard and managed to weather the storm. Just when he looked to be getting a measure of things he was sent packing and Pakistan had the ball rolling in their favour. Campbell made 20 (84 balls, 3 fours) and West Indies were 146/4.

The second shocking decision was that of stumper Ridley Jacobs, adjudged leg before wicket to Abdur Razzaq first ball when the ball had pitched clearly outside the leg stump.

But between all this, there was the genuine bristling Pakistan aggression. Something seems to inspire the best in fast bowlers from this part of the world when a win is on the cards. Like sharks circling around the slightest scent of blood, speedster Akhtar and mediumpacer Razzaq knocked the stuffing out of the Windies.

The 55th over of the day, bowled by Razzaq, straight and full, with the slightest hint of swing saw West Indies go from 149/4 to 150/7. Chanderpaul caught behind for naught, Hooper trapped in front of the stumps, and Jacobs in the fashion already spoken about.

With wickets down and the tail exposed, Waqar Younis played the good captain and handed the ball to Akhtar. Breathing fire, sending down searing yorkers the speedster removed Merv Dillon and Cameron Cuffy before either could trouble the scorers and completed his five-wicket haul.

When Razzaq clean bowled Pedro Collins Pakistan completed a 170-run win at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. It was a win littered with controversy, something both teams could have done without, but that's how these things unfold ever so often. West Indies will be disappointed that four of it's batsmen failed to score and another did not make it to double figures

Razzaq ended with figures of 7.5-1-24-4 while Akhtar flattered with 16-7-24-5. The pair reduced West Indies from 111/1 to 171 all out.

WEST INDIES BATSMEN DEFIANT

The final day of this Pakistan-West Indies Test was always going to be a war of attrition for the batsmen and one of attack for the bowlers. The game of cat and mouse saw West Indies come out tops at the end of the first session, but their work is far from done. With thoughts of a brittle batting order at the back of their minds, West Indies openers Darren Ganga and Chris Gayle did a fine job of staving away the probing spin and loud appeals of the Pakistanis. Despite losing Ganga, West Indies reached 111/1 at lunch on the final day.

It was the sheer pace of Shoaib Akhtar that got Pakistan its first wicket. With his action almost continually under scrutiny, Akhtar will always remain a source of controversy, but equally a bowler who causes great excitement. The speedster bowling completely unrestrained, got a ball to burst past the defences of Ganga (34 runs, 71 balls, 4 fours) with j8ust 74 West Indies runs on the board. Was this the beginning of the much touted West Indies final-day collapse?

Sherwin Campbell (11 not out, 50 balls, 2 fours) in the company of Gayle decided it wasn't. The enigmatic Bajan knuckled down and negated the bowlers while Gayle opened up and blossomed at the other end. The tall left-hander who scored a half-century in the first innings repeated the feat, driving through the off side with characteristic flair. Getting his feet nicely to the pitch of the ball Gayle was able to smother the spin, striking the ball to the fence 14 times in his 111 ball unbeaten essay of 62.

Although it is only the beginning, West Indies have shown every sign of an ability to play out the day for a draw with determination and grit.