The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : `Our first innings effort was pathetic'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

`Our first innings effort was pathetic'

Bridgetown (BARBADOS): Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer blasted his batsmen after the West Indies sealed a 276-run win with more than a day to spare in the first Test, calling the team's first innings performance ``spineless.''

Woolmer said the catalyst for the defeat was Pakistan's effort in the first innings.

``I thought we were spineless on that particular day with our batting,'' he said. ``It's something we'll address in the next few days.''

Pakistan, overnight 113 for four in its second innings, was dismissed for 296 just after lunch on the fourth day despite a fighting 122 from Shahid Afridi. The second Test is scheduled to start in Jamaica on Friday.

Both Woolmer and West Indies coach Bennett King felt that the loss of Pakistan's two leading batsmen — Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana — weakened the visitors. Inzamam was serving a one-match ban, while Youhana flew home to Pakistan to be with his ailing father.

``It was a bonus for us to have two world-class players not in their side and we're under no illusions that they could be back for the next Test,'' King said. The victory was the first for King in his fifth Test in charge of the West Indies, which had lost eight one-day matches in a row before this match. — AP

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