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

Pakistan 1st innings: Lunch - Day 2, Tea - Day 2, End of innings,
West Indies, 2001/02, 1st Test 1st innings: Stumps - Day 2,
Live Reports from previous days

GAYLE LEADS WEST INDIAN REPLY

In response to Pakistan's daunting score of 493 in 161.5 overs, West Indies managed 54/0 from 18 well negotiated overs as the light faded. Chris Gayle batting with characteristic flair reached 41 (7 fours). The tall left-hander judged the line and length early, finding the gaps in the offside time and time again.

Keeping Gayle company was the more restrained Darren Ganga, who preferred to see out the day in more conventional fashion.

The West Indian openers have done well to see off a brisk opening spell from Waqar Wounis and Shoaib Akhtar. Their work however, is far from done. Tomorrow will require the West Indies batting, particularly the top order, to show a lot of character, if they are to pull things back in this match.

LATE ORDER BLITZ FROM PAKISTAN TAIL

As expected, the Pakistan lower middle order went hell for leather after tea on the second day in a bid to score quick runs, reach a big total and have a go at the West Indies batsmen. The best man to boost the scoring rate would have been the well set Rashid Latif. The Pakistan keeper however, fell on an even 150 (234 balls, 18 fours, 1 six), bowled by part time offie Chris Gayle.

Following Latif’s departure, the Pakistan tail used the long handle to great effect, with skipper Waqar Younis (25 not out) hitting the ball cleanly to notch up three boundaries and two hits that cleared the fence. Speedster Shoaib Akhtar, keen to match his captain made a better than run a ball 20 that included two boundaries and a six.

In short, it was a blitz – almost one-day style that resulted in 45 runs coming in just 7.5 overs. When Gayle (3/27) snapped up the last wicket caught and bowled, the Pakistan innings came to a close at 493 in 161.5 overs.

The West Indian openers have to negotiate 18 overs on the day.

PAKISTAN PILE ON THE RUNS

The session between lunch and tea held much hope for yet another Yousuf Youhana double century. Following his recent 204 not out against Bangladesh, Youhana went in to lunch on the second day with 144 to his name and looking good for much more. As it turned out, it was a case of too much anticipation ruining the party. Adding just two runs to his lunch score, Youhana (146 runs, 276 balls, 18 fours, 1 six) was cleaned up by Cameron Cuffy. By this stage, Youhana’s knock had taken Pakistan’s score to high respectability – 382/6. Rashid Latif, unmindful of Youhana’s departure, reached 142 not out when tea was taken with Pakistan right on top at 438/7.

It was very much a familiar story for West Indies. After showing early promise and curtailing Pakistan, they let the middle order get away from them. Once the momentum swung in Pakistan’s favour, there was no stopping them. Youhana and Latif made the best of near perfect batting conditions and piled on the runs - and the misery for the opposition.

There was, however, amidst Latif’s booming drives on the up and through the line and flicks that rollicked to the fence, some joy for the West Indians as spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who is sure to play a large role in this match, was caught and bowled by Dillon for 17.

Going into tea at 438/7, there is little left to bat for in this innings for Pakistan. A declaration is surely on the cards, but not before Latif posts 150 and the batsmen have had a merry dash at the bowling for a short spell.

Pakistan captain Waqar Younis, at the crease without scoring at the moment, will certainly plan to send down a few overs today and rattle the opposition. The last session of the day looks like it will throw up a bit of excitement

YOUHANA, LATIF PUT PAKISTAN IN CONTROL

It is saddening to see that the Sharjah Cricket Association, on a Friday - the local day of rest - play host to a gathering of spectators probably numbering fewer than the cricketers present. Being used to the thronging crowds, the famous bearded cheerleader who rarely misses a match, the varied cross-section of fans from the masses to the elite in their expensive corporate boxes, the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium on the second day of the Pakistan West-Indies Test was a testament to the fact that neutral venues are not the way forward for cricket. All this just took the sheen off a superb unbeaten century from Yousuf Youhana (144*), supported staunchly by Rashid Latif (105*), that took Pakistan to 378/5 at lunch and put West Indies very much on the back foot.

The second day began with Pakistan on the road to recovery at 230/5. Youhana and stumper Latif had put on 52 for the fifth wicket and were determined to make it count for more. They did. With the first session extended by half an hour on account of a break in the afternoon for Friday prayers, it was only a case of West Indies' misery being dragged out longer. The men from the Caribbean watched haplessly as a wicketless session drained the energy from them.

Youhana, who came into this Test match with over 2500 Test runs at an average of 47 in 57 innings, capitalised on a good opportunity and made those statistics look even better. In the 107th over of the innings, Youhana slanted a full Pedro Collins delivery outside the off-stump to the third man boundary to notch up his ninth Test ton. It was an innings that made all the difference to the balance of the game. Going on after reaching the three-figure mark, Youhana, stationed on 144, put Pakistan well and truly in the driver's seat.

Youhana may have been the man that did most of the damage, but it would be an injustice to not put on the record the contribution of Latif. Although he has always been a man for crisis situations, Latif has seldom been viewed as a threat by opposition. The West Indies too seemed to make that mistake and allowed Latif to get well-entrenched on a wicket that, by the end of the first session on the second day, had got slower and lower. Pacing his knock well, Latif played second fiddle to Youhana for the best part of his innings before cutting loose when it was required.

Debutant Ryan Hinds, bowling his part-time left-arm spin, came in for some special treatment just before the lunch break. As an appetiser to a meal that both batsmen will enjoy tremendously, Hinds was smacked around for 26 in three overs, with the ball repeatedly disappearing over the infield and to the on-side fence. Perhaps Hooper could have chosen a better time to give the young man a go.

Latif, who has made five half-centuries, including one tantalisingly close to the three-figure mark - 94 - against Bangladesh not three weeks ago, notched up his maiden hundred when he swept Hinds to fine leg in the 128th over of the innings. Taking his helmet off, Latif sported a broad grin, waving his bat to the dressing rooms in the absence of any sizeable crowd.

The unbeaten stand of 200 between Youhana and Latif has changed the complexion of this game completely. Coming off just 178 balls at a rate of almost a run a minute, the partnership has given West Indies cause for major concern. With a big score on the board, Pakistan can now make the best of this sluggish wicket, bringing spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Danish Kaneria into play well during the latter stages of the Test.