Close West Indies 260 for 5 (Hooper 112*, Chanderpaul 67) beat Pakistan 150 all out (Gayle 4-19) by 110 runs. Pakistan win the series 2-1
scorecard

West Indies swept to a comprehensive 110-run win in the third one-day international to salvage some pride from a disappointing tour. Carl Hooper scored a magical, unbeaten 112, and his 154-run fifth-wicket partnership with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, - a record for this wicket in one-day matches for West Indies - ensured a challenging total.

The batting seemed to inspire a much-improved performance on the field too, as vital catches were held and a smart run-out effected. There were a few blemishes - Hooper dropped a difficult skier, and Pedro Collins a rather easier one - but the result was never in doubt once West Indies struck early blows in Pakistan's innings.

Docked an over by the match referee for their tardy over-rate, Pakistan began the run-chase on an inauspicious note, when Shahid Afridi flicked Collins straight to Runako Morton at square leg (10 for 1). Afridi made just 5.

Dillon got in on the act in the next over, trapping Naved Latif in front for 4 as the batsman attempted to play across the line (10 for 2). It soon became 18 for 3 when Younis Khan edged a wide half volley from Collins to Hooper at second slip for 6.

Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Malik arrested the slide for a while, adding 33 runs for the fourth wicket. But just when the partnership seemed to be flowering, Dillon struck. Youhana scooped an attempted straight-drive, and Dillon latched on to a sharp chance in front of his face (51 for 4). Youhana's 20 came off just 23 balls.

Abdur Razzaq laboured to 10 off 40 balls before falling to an inspired piece of fielding by birthday-boy Ryan Hinds, who moved in sharply from point and threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end (86 for 5).

Shoaib Malik's vigil ended when Hooper deceived him with a straighter delivery which crashed into off stump. Malik made 37 and Pakistan slumped to 91 for 6.

Injured while attempting a catch at slip during West Indies's innings, Inzamam-ul-Haq came in at No. 7 and struggled to find his timing. He got a second chance when Hooper failed to judge a skier off his own bowling, but Chris Gayle ensured the lapse did not prove costly, rocking his middle-stump as Inzamam attempted an ungainly reverse-sweep (127 for 7). Inzamam managed just 21 and ended the series without a half-century.

The last three wickets did not take long to fall - and they were all claimed by Gayle. Waqar Younis skied him to Dillon at long-on for 2 (131 for 8); Shoaib Akhtar played all over a full-length ball to be dismissed without scoring (136 for 9), and Rashid Latif missed a hoick and was bowled for a defiant 37.

Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to bat, Hooper got none of the solidity he must have hoped for from his batsmen.

Daren Ganga's misery in the one-day series continued - the third ball of Waqar's first over was a perfect awayswinger, and Ganga could only nick it to wicketkeeper Latif (0 for 1). It was Ganga's second successive duck.

Gayle was given a life early on. He wafted airily at Shoaib Akhtar and the edge flew to Inzamam at slip. He got both hands in front of his face but couldn't hang on. Gayle didn't last long though. In Shoaib's third over, Gayle edged again, and Younis Khan gave Inzamam a lesson in slip-catching (28 for 2). Gayle's 19 came off just 17 balls.

Waqar struck again in the ninth over, trapping Morton for 3 with one that jagged back sharply (38 for 3). Morton was struck on the flap of his pad, and the TV replays suggested that the ball would have gone over the top of the stumps.

Hooper and Wavell Hinds steadied the ship somewhat, but Sami struck with his third ball to knock West Indies further back. Hinds attempted an expansive drive at a full-length ball, but only managed to give Younis Khan his second slip catch of the day (61 for 4). Hinds had looked assured in his 32-ball 22.

That marked the beginning of the Hooper-Chanderpaul show. Both Hooper and Chanderpaul bided their time and began by milking the ones and twos against an attack that maintained a tight control of line and length. Hooper opened out in the 32nd over with an imperious straight six off Shoaib Malik to post his 50. The hundred partnership came up in the 39th over, after which both batsmen turned up the heat.

Chanderpaul deposited Shahid Afridi over midwicket and then on-drove him effortlessly for four, while Hooper showed silken class in lofting Mohammad Sami over long-off for six and square-driving him nonchalantly for four. In between the hits to the fence, both players nudged the singles wonderfully well in a superb display of one-day batsmanship.

The first 50 runs of their partnership took all of 90 balls, but the next 104 took just 95. The last 13 overs of the innings produced 113 runs, as Pakistan got a taste of their own medicine.

Sami, who had conceded only 18 runs off his first six overs, went for 36 off his next three. Waqar Younis, who had struck twice with the new ball, came on - but was cover-driven for six by Hooper. Chanderpaul finally fell to Abdur Razzaq, caught behind while attempting to turn one to leg (215 for 5), but with Ridley Jacobs batting sensibly, the momentum wasn't lost for West Indies. Nor, eventually, was this final match.

Teams
Pakistan 1 Shahid Afridi, 2 Naved Latif, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Abdur Razzaq, 7 Inzamam-ul-Haq, 8 Rashid Latif (wk), 9 Waqar Younis (capt), 10 Shoaib Akhtar, 11 Mohammad Sami.

West Indies 1 Daren Ganga, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Wavell Hinds, 4 Runako Morton, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Ryan Hinds, 9 Mervyn Dillon, 10 Pedro Collins, 11 Corey Collymore.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com India.

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