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 1, Tea - Day 1, Stumps - Day 1,
Pre-game: Toss & Teams,

YOUHANA PROPS UP PAKISTAN

Coming out to play after tea at 137/4, there was a tiny chance that the West Indians might be able to run through the Pakistani batting line up. If Hooper harboured any such hopes, Youhana made sure he laid them to rest. Walking out to the middle as cool as ever, Youhana gave his teammates a display of the kind of approach needed on a wicket like this. Stroking the ball well when it was full, Youhana milked the bowling for runs. When the rare loose ball was on offer, Youhana made sure he capitalised, showing the full face of the bat at all times.

To keep Youhana company was all-rounder Abdur Razzaq, a man who has played the role of second fiddle to perfection many times in the past. Not looking his best, and yet keeping his head down and plugging away, Razzaq ensure that the Pakistan score reached 178 before he made a mistake. That mistake was his last. Chasing at a ball well outside the off from part time mediumpacer Wavell Hinds, Razzaq (34 runs, 96 balls, 3 fours) nicked the ball through to the keeper.

Youhana and Razzaq put on a vital 84 runs for the fifth wicket.

Stumper Rashid Latif (27 not out) joined Youhana out in the middle and saw Pakistan through to stumps without further damage. There was one last minute scare for Youhana as a spooned catch off the bowling of Merv Dillon was put down by Cuffy at mid on in the 91st over of the day. Youhana's patient unbeaten 78 (165 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) took Pakistan to 230/5 in 92 overs, a score that they can build on, when the second day's play starts.

WEST INDIES RESTRICT PAKISTAN

It was slow, painfully slow, yet hardly steady progress from Pakistan at Sharjah. After going in to lunch at 45/2 off 29 overs, Pakistan managed to put on 92 more for the loss of two wickets to reach 137/4 in 63 overs. It is not the kind of cricket you associate with this Pakistan team but then again, you hardly expect West Indies to bowl with great discipline.

If there was one person who stole a bit of the limelight in the second session of play, and gave the barely noticeable ‘crowd’ something to remember, it was Younis Khan. Playing with abundant caution, Khan blunted the West Indian bowling attack. Caution was the watchword as the bowlers kept the ball just short of a driving length and on the off stump.

Skipper Carl Hooper, buoyed by his success just before the luncheon interval, understood the need to mix things up a bit and persisted with his off spin. Keeping one end tied up with steady seam bowling Hooper flighted the ball just enough to draw Khan into a false shot. Chopping at one just outside the off stump, Khan (53, 129b 4x4) found Chris Gayle at slip with the score on 94. Khan’s innings gave a faltering Pakistan innings much needed solidity.

Earlier, Inzamam ul-Haq (10), of whom much was expected, nicked a Dillon delivery faintly through to the Jacobs. In characteristic fashion, Inzamam made the slow walk back to the dressing room, visibly unhappy with the decision.

The West Indians would be happy with the progress they have made, and Hooper will reserve a word of praise for Dillon who had 2/46 from 15 overs when the players left the field for a well deserved cup of tea. Abdur Razzaq with 19 and the stylish Yousuf Youhana (29) will return to take the Pakistan innings forward.

PAKISTAN MAKE SLOW START

Cricket at Sharjah has been traditionally associated with a large, boisterous crowd on a Friday afternoon cheering their lungs out for Pakistan. Things were a far cry from that picture when Mervyn Dillon delivered the first ball of the West Indies Test against Pakistan at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. The proverbial ‘two men and a dog’ were slightly bettered, but only just, as a handful of officials, fans and ground staff watched Pakistan crawl on to 45/2 after 29 overs at lunch on the first day.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Waqar Younis could only watch in dismay as debutant opening batsman Naved Latif fell with just three runs on the board. Dillon swinging the ball in late, made sure that Latif had a forgettable debut when he trapped the right-hander plumb in front. Latif did not trouble the scorers.

Taufeeq Umar, who made a century on Test debut against Bangladesh at the age of 19, was composed at the wicket and played several shots that marked him out as a player to be watched. Umar spanked a ball through midwicket to notch up his first boundary. The shot of the morning, however, came in the 15th over when Umar creamed an overpitched Pedro Collins delivery to the covers fence. The left-arm seamer could do little but admire the batsman’s skill as the ball seared across the turf to the fence.

The West Indies pace bowling attack, more disciplined than menacing, pegged away as well as they could, but could not make further inroads into the Pakistan batting line-up. It was the seemingly gentle spin of Carl Hooper that cost Pakistan their second wicket as Umar (24) chopped one back onto his stumps.

Younis Khan, another young talent rated very highly in his country, did his bit at one end. Playing predominantly with a straight bat, Khan worked hard to get a sense of the wicket and the bowling.

When the players walked off the field for lunch, Khan was on 21 while Inzamam ul-Haq, new to the crease was yet to get off the mark.

PAKISTAN BAT FIRST AT SHARJAH

Test cricket finally got under way at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. Pakistan and West Indies play a two Test and five one-day series. The opening honours went to Pakistan as skipper Waqar Younis won the toss. Not surprisingly, he elected to bat first on a wicket that has hosted so many run feasts in limited overs cricket.

Pakistan handed out a Test debut to twenty five-year old batsman Naved Latif.

Pakistan are back from their triumphant tour of Bangladesh, clean sweeping both the Test and the One Day International series. West Indies on the other hand are back from the Sri Lankan tour which they would prefer to forget, falling short in all the departments of the game.

Brian Lara (688 runs from three Tests) was the only person standing between them and complete destruction there, and with him out of this series due to injury the others will have to do extremely well to be on even terms with Pakistan

Teams: Pakistan: T Umar, N Latif, Inzamam-ul-Haq, *Waqar Younis, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Akhtar, A Razzaq, +Rashid Latif, Saqlain Mushtaq, Danish Kaneria.

West Indies: *CL Hooper, S Chanderpaul, RO Hinds, CH Gayle, WW Hinds, +RD Jacobs, D Ganga, M Dillon, MN Samuels, CE Cuffy, PT Collins.