Pak v WI (3rd Test, Day 5)

WEST INDIES lost the wicket of Brian Lara on 49 to Umer Gul in the morning session of the fifth and final day of the Karachi test match.

Lara, before the start of the match, needed 96 runs in the innings to become the only batsman to reach 12,000 test runs, looked in good form and had stroked boundaries all round the wicket as he looked all set to save the test match.

However, with the introduction of Umer Gul straight after the drinks break, Lara drove uppishly to extra cover where Shoaib Malik held onto a difficult catch. It is the second time in the match that Umer Gul has taken Lara’s wicket after dismissing him clean-bowled for naught in the first innings.

Resuming on the overnight score of 39 for the loss of both openers, West Indies had moved on to 97 with Lara the only casualty in the first 90 minutes of play. Lara and Sarwan, who were both out without scoring in the first innings, mixed defence and aggression aptly as they tried to save the match by batting out the day.

Sarwan, back into the team after being dropped for the second test, had moved onto 35 while slightly struggling against Kaneria as the ball spun sharply off the cracks.

Pakistan, having a 1-0 lead in the series, need another eight wickets to complete an emphatic win on the back of two record-breaking innings by Mohammad Yousuf.

© Faras Ghani 2006
Published in The Star 1st Dec 2006