|
West Indies
disappoint with a weak batting show |
November 11, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
 West
Indies put on a weak batting show at the Gaddafi
Stadium in the opening day of the first Test
Match after they opted to bat first. The wicket
was a flat one by nature but since the
conditions were misty all through the day, there
was enough swing and seam movement to keep the
bowlers on the top. Some of the West Indian
batsmen had caused their own downfall with their
poor shot selection. The homeside safely
remained on 39 for 1 in reply to West Indies'
206.
The ball was definitely going to move around in
the first hour with overcast conditions
prevailing and the Windies had to some how get
through the first hour and hope for the sun to
breakthrough. There wasn't much worry from the
bowling except from the good old Shahid Nazir
who stuck with the appropriate line and length.
Umar Gul, his partner was struggling as he
sprayed the ball at different lengths to be
punished by Chris Gayle. But it was Umar Gul who
provided the break for Pakistan as Daren Ganga
played a bad shot away from his body to give a
catch to Younis Khan at second slip. That spoilt
what was turning out to be a good opening
partnership which was cut short to 41 in the 9th
over. In just another three deliveries, Shahid
Nazir was lucky to get an lbw decision that of
Chris Gayle's. The left hander was struck well
over his knee roll! Asoka de Silva making his
comeback as an Elite Umpire got it all wrong to
end the dangerous Gayle's stay in the middle.
Gayle was continuing his Champions Trophy form
as he had smashed 34 from 28 balls with half a
dozen boundaries before he was done in by
Asoka's finger.
Shahid Nazir gave Pak the advantage after just
another two overs, this time with the wicket of
Sarwan who was opened up by a short of length
delivery that had seamed away. In almost another
two overs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul got a
beautiful inswinger that beat his defence to rap
him up in front of the stumps. West Indies were
in tatters at 52 for 4 and now everything
depended on Brian Lara who was the only man
capable of playing a big innings. He got some
support from Dwayne Bravo who was the dominant
of the two. Bravo was in good nick as he is
fresh from his hundred against the Patron's XI.
The introduction of spin saw his downfall though
as Bravo (32) played a rank bad shot which is
not expected from a proper batsman in a test
match. Kaneria's leg break which was a normal
one was driven uppishly and straight to mid off
by Bravo which left the Skipper Brian Lara in
complete disgust. It was an extended session as
the last session would be hampered by bad light
as it is winter time in Pak. And just before the
stroke of lunch, Denesh Ramdin followed Bravo's
footsteps to indulge in playing an unwanted
shot. He went for an ambitious sweep shot off
Kaneria only to get a top edge that was safely
taken in the legside by Hafeez and at lunch it
was just Brian Lara holding up things for WI who
were at 122 for 6.
After the break, Lara was joined by Dave
Mohammed who started off with a clean pick up
shot off Kaneria for a six over mid wicket. Dave
Mohammed didn't continue playing the big shots
and concentrated on giving a stand to Lara who
got going with some of his vintage shots. The
partnership got to a fifty and so did Brian Lara
who reached this landmark for the 48th time in
his Test career. However a mistake from Lara
which saw him close the face of his bat early
towards the onside much before the ball had done
its part after landing on the pitch had rewarded
Umar Gul with his wicket. Lara fell after
scoring 61 which had come from 106 balls with 8
fours. He was lucky to be honest after he wasn't
given out lbw to a Shahid Nazir inswinger in the
early parts of his innings that looked good in
height and in line. Asoka de Silva was the
culprit again! After Lara's exit, it was just
matter of time before the innings came to an
end. Dave Mohammed was good for his valuable 35
runs. Umar Gul had finished off with his 3rd
five-wicket haul for which he must thank
Mohammad Yousuf as he had dropped a dolly of a
catch offered by Fidel Edwards at mid wicket off
the bowling of Danish Kaneria. Windies were
bowled out in just 56.1 overs and an early Tea
was taken.
Pakistan's openers are always susceptible of
getting out early and today was no different
with Imran Farhat being the first casualty. The
left hander had got a late inswinger at a good
pace from Taylor that had swung in just enough
to have him struck in line of the stumps. There
weren't any further inroads in the innings with
Mohammad Hafeez (batting on 11 from 47 balls)
showing some patience to stick around with the
experienced Younis Khan (batting on 10 from 21
balls). Light was offered by the two Umpires in
the 15th over which the two batsmen accepted and
in just few minutes stumps were called. Most
part of the Pakistan innings was played under
lights and all in all just 71 overs were
possible in the day's play. The pitch should be
good for batting once the sun comes out; it has
been a very slow paced wicket with comfortable
bounce. The wicket has already started to take
sharp turn which is a worrying factor for
Windies.
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