LAHORE, 13 November 2006 — Pakistan’s most experienced middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf scored his 20th Test century — his sixth this year, while his two young compatriots, opener Mohmmad Hafeez (57) and all-rounder Shoaib Malik, chipped in with useful half-centuries to take their side to a position of strength after the home team had lost three wickets including that of skipper Inzamam ul-Haq in the morning session of the second day’s play of the first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium here yesterday.
At close of play Pakistan were well placed at 265 for four with Yousuf batting at 107 and Malik 61 not out.
West Indian bowlers, after early morning success of claiming three wickets before lunch, toiled all day to make any further inroads when the day’s play had to be called off an earlier than the scheduled closure due to fading light.
They shared the honors in the opening session with three wickets, but were then thoroughly outplayed in the post-lunch and final sessions when Yousuf and Shoaib put up a 125-run stand for the fifth wicket, Pakistan’s highest for that wicket against West Indies.
The second new ball, which was taken right after tea, only helped accelerate the run rate after a fairly quiet afternoon session. The West Indians didn’t help their cause in the field either — Yousuf was let off twice, by Daren Ganga when he was 43, and a caught-and-bowled chance by Jerome Taylor immediately after his century — while umpire Asoka de Silva might have given Yousuf a reprieve as well when he chose not to refer an appeal for stumping to the third umpire.
The batsmen were also helped by the pitch, which eased up considerably and offered lesser assistance to the bowlers.
While Yousuf was the man who played a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s position after the hosts had lost vice-captain Mohammad Younis early in the first session when the total was at 42, Hafeez and Malik played sensibly in building a good total for their team: Hafeez helped Yousuf put together a crucial 88 when West Indies might have fancied more wickets in. Until he was finally deceived by a full-length inswinger by Taylor, it seemed Hafeez might go on to convert his third Test half-century into something far more substantial. Yousuf and Hafeez took the score to 133 when the opener was adjudged lbw to Taylor.
Inzamam, who came to the crease after a three-month stay out of the ground due to an ICC ban, never looked like his usual self. He survived to strong lbw appeals on the two deliveries from Taylor in the same over. He finally fell to a beauty from young Dave Mohammad and was brilliantly stumped as he went miles forward to kill the spin, about 10 minutes before lunch Pakistan were now 140 for 4, still needing 66 runs to wipe out the deficit.
Malik, demoted to No. 7 position, was undaunted and immediately got down to a typically unruffled knock. He displayed some aggressive intent, carving Dave Mohammed over long-on for six and clipping Edward for consecutive fours off the first two deliveries with the second new ball, but those were exceptions to what an innings steeped in defense and concentration. Pakistan — with Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal still to follow — are well on course to stretch this lead into a potentially match winning one. Pakistan now lead by 59 runs with six wickets in hand.
