Day 4:Pakistan keep their foot in the door
Pakistan resumed the 2nd innings with the overnight score of 157 for 5, Yousuf Youhana batting at 41 being the mainstay of the innings. The observers of the game felt that a total between 220-250 would make a match of it. Considering the same both Youhana and Saqlain played defensively but not missing the runs that came their way.
The West Indies, however, succeeded in achieving a quick break through when Youhana was adjudged LBW off Reon King after playing a defiant innings of 42. Pakistan lost the 6th wicket at 162. Half fit Abdur Razzaq came in and was run out immediately after on account of his own folly. It was a case of poor calling between him and Saqlain, on a single that they should not have attempted. It brought Pakistan down to 7 for 167.
With Pakistan at 185 for 7 in 80 overs, Curtly Ambrose took the second new ball that did the trick. Saqlain snicked Ambrose and was caught in the slips after playing a short but defiant knock of 15 runs. The 200 of the Pakistan innings came in the 85th over when Waqar Younis pulled a no ball from Ambrose to mid wicket boundary.
Pakistan lost the 9th wicket in the last over before lunch when Waqar Younis was caught in the slips by Adams off Ambrose for a valuable 16. Pakistan was now at 213 for 9, a lead of 209 runs with one wicket in hand.
Resuming after lunch it did not take long for the West Indies to claim the remaining one wicket to end the Pakistan's innings. The 10th wicket came down when Wasim Akram played a full-blooded shot to square leg and was brilliantly caught by Adams off King. Pakistan was all out for 219, giving the West Indies a fighting target of 216 runs. Reon King having claimed 4 wickets and Curtly Ambrose 3, were the most successful bowlers.
The West Indies commenced the 2nd innings with victory target of 216 runs. Surprisingly, rather than trying to graft the innings, the openers, especially Adrian Griffith was rather two aggressive, trying to smash every delivery to the boundary line.
Pakistan got the first break through when Sherwin Campbell was out with the West Indies score at 16.
Griffith who was displaying extra ordinary aggression was the next to go when in an effort to hook Wasim Akram, he was caught by Waqar Younis at fine leg for 23, reducing the West Indies to 31 for 2. The pair of Wavell Hinds and Chanderpaul played with immense confidence, exercising a mixture of offence and defence. By hitting all over the ground they took the West Indies score to 62 for 2 when rain stopped play.
As the game resumed after tea, Pakistan achieved its 3rd lucky break when Chanderpaul was LBW to Razzaq after playing a brilliant innings of 31, rendering the West Indies to 84 for 3.
Jimmy Adams joined Hinds on the crease and acted like more of a spectator. By scoring only 8 runs in 56 balls, he had perhaps decided to give a solid stand to Wavell Hinds. In contrast Hinds was on the rampage scoring runs freely. Punishing almost every bowler he completed an enterprising 50, at the same time raising the West Indies score to 123 for 3.
Hinds got a life when at 58 he was dropped by Mohammad Wasim in the slips off Wasim Akram. As the luck would have it he could not stay any longer. A little later while trying to hook a rising delivery from Wasim Akram he dragged the ball on to the stumps and was out after playing a prolific innings of 63. The West Indies lost the 4th wicket at 144.
With the West Indies still needing 72 runs to win the match with 6 wickets in hand, the play was called of for the day.
Day5: West Indies win a thriller
The 3rd and the final test resumed at St John's with exciting prospects for the two sides. The West Indies needing 72 runs to win with 6 wickets in hand were in a relatively happy position. They had full 90 overs of the day to get these runs. Pakistan's hopes only rested on a very tight and accurate bowling - fielding combination.
Both the sides had their respective stakes. While Pakistan aspired to achieve the honor of gaining a test series victory on the Caribbean soil, the West Indies would fight their heart out to prevent the same.
The West Indies resumed their innings at he overnight score of 144 for 4 with full determination to win. While they had every thing in their favour, Pakistan only needed a miracle. Pakistan however, got the lucky break when Sarwan was out bringing down the West Indies to 161 for 5.
Jimmy Adams was playing the captains inning holding his ground with immense confidence against all the pressure exerted by the Pakistan bowlers. The wickets kept falling from the other end. After Sarwan, Jacobs went at 169, Rose at 177 and Ambrose at 194. The West Indies lost 8 wickets for 194 and were as close to the victory target as 22 runs with 2 wickets in hand.
It was a great effort on the part of Pakistan's bowlers to clinch 4 important wickets in the morning session. At lunch the match was evenly poised. Depending on luck it could be any body's game. Jimmy Adams was the stumbling block in Pakistan's way and he proved it so tell the end.
Reon King was the next player to go at the West Indies score of 197 for 9. Then came the historical and the most breath taking 19 runs last wicket partnership between Jimmy Adams and Courtney Walsh, that became instrumental in the West Indies victory.
With utmost patience Adams faced most of the bowling giving his partner only the in-escapable chance to face the Pakistan bowlers in full cry. By collecting slow and steady single, the two of them took the West Indies to 216, thus defeating Pakistan by one wicket.
This was one of the most exciting test matches in the history of cricket. Jimmy Adams with a defiant 48 not out was the architect of West Indies victory. With 11 wickets for 110 runs, Wasim Akram proved that he was a top bowler of the world. The Pakistan team, however, deserves the credit for showing fighting spirit of the highest order.