The Hindu : Sport : Brian Lara's 33rd century in vain

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 15, 2006
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Brian Lara's 33rd century in vain

ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Younis Khan fails to grab a chance offered by Brian Lara, who waged a valiant battle even as his mates fell prey to Pakistani speedsters. — Photo: AFP

LAHORE: Pakistan whipped the West Indies by nine wickets despite Brian Lara's 33rd century in Test cricket on the fourth day of the first Test here on Tuesday.

Lara made a fluent 122 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul braved dehydration to score a fighting 81 before the West Indies crumbled to 291 for an overall lead of just 12 runs.

Pakistan — which scored 485 in reply to the West Indies first innings score of 206 — lost its opener Mohammad Hafeez (1) before racing to 13 for one in fading light.

Pakistan's fast bowlers Umar Gul (4-99) and Shahid Nazir (3-63) once again shared the bulk of wickets like they did in the first innings and made up for the loss of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

Impressive bowling

Gul finished the match with impressive figures of nine for 164 and Nazir claimed six for 105.

The left-handed experienced pair of Lara and Chanderpaul featured in a 137-run partnership and defied Pakistan bowlers for three and a quarter hours with some impressive strokeplay.

``(The) majority of our players are playing for the first time in Pakistan and I believe that we have bowlers who can take 20 wickets in Test matches, but for that we need to put runs on board,'' Lara said.

Lara's departure at the total of 238 midway into the second session ended the West Indies resistance as it lost the last six wickets for 53 runs.

``I wanted to bat throughout today and even tomorrow and that's why I didn't take off the helmet after completing the century,'' Lara said. ``Unfortunately it didn't happen.''

Chanderpaul, who hit eight fours in his 178-ball innings, was the eighth wicket to fall when one run was still needed to wipe out the 279-run deficit.

He top edged Nazir's delivery with the second new ball to Mohammad Yousuf.

Lara — the leading scorer in Test cricket — was trapped lbw by part-time off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez off a delivery that kept straight after pitching.

The elegant left-handed Lara entertained with 19 boundaries in his 215-ball knock of five hours.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal fumbled a stumping opportunity off Chanderpaul soon after Lara was dismissed while Imran Farhat dropped a regulation catch at forward short leg before Dwayne Bravo had scored.

Bravo struggled for 19 deliveries to score two runs but left the West Indies lurching at 248 for six when Gul had him leg before.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria (one for 78) finally got a wicket in his 27th over of the innings when he had Denesh Ramdin (1) caught close to the wicket by Farhat.

Debatable decision

It was another debatable decision by Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva as the television replays showed that the ball had not contacted Ramdin's bat.

Chanderpaul followed with his half century off 116 balls with five boundaries before Hafeez removed Lara and the West Indies lost its way.

Earlier, the West Indies lost just one wicket in the first session — nightwatchman Fidel Edwards (10) — and added 114 runs after it resumed at the overnight 74 for three. . — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport