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Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007
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Samuels top-scores for Windies

S. Ram Mahesh

Kingston: Marlon Samuels, supported by Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, and Dwayne Smith, helped West Indies score 241 for nine in 50 overs in the opening match of the World Cup here on Tuesday.

Pakistan's bowlers turned in a largely disciplined performance on a Sabina Park strip that wasn't entirely amenable to strokeplay. They weren't always backed by their fielding though.

Earlier, Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss, positioned himself at a deep first slip, and watched the first ball of the World Cup unfold.

Chris Gayle poked an admirable Umar Gul delivery to the on-side and took off — the first run of the World Cup.

Soon, the same two men came together for the first wicket of the World Cup. Gul produced one that climbed from just short of a length. Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal wasn't perfectly poised as he took off, but snagged the edge all the same.

Further drama

There was further drama next ball. Sarwan flashed at a ball — fuller than the one that had got Gayle — outside off, not bothering with moving his front foot even if only to shift balance. Younis Khan, at second slip, stretched, but couldn't hold on.

Sarwan promptly cut Rana Naved for four; Danish Kaneria, in the manner of a slapstick adept, managed to turn a defensive prod in to four overthrows; one suspected Pakistan might lose the plot.

Gul, however, kept it tight. His length forbade forcing strokes on the up, his line horizontal bat strokes square on the off-side. Sarwan turned to Rana for sustenance.

The West Indies vice-captain coerced Gul square before propping forward, loosening his arms, and driving Rana one bounce to the extra-cover boundary.

Forty for one in ten overs.

Inzamam replaced Rana with Rao Iftikhar, who bowled a maiden first up. Chanderpaul meanwhile had congealed into strokelessness.

He continued to tickle to third-man and nurdle to fine-leg, but was taking far too much of the strike, undermining Sarwan.

The West Indies took just 12 from the second Power Play. Chanderpaul soon fell — squared up and compelled by Iftikhar to edge to an airborne Akmal.

Iftikhar followed it up by denying Sarwan a half-century. Sarwan is apt to suffer from brain fade during his innings — Tuesday was no different as he edged one of many honest deliveries from Iftikhar to the lone slip.

Compelling sub-plot

CLEAN STRIKING: After initially struggling against leg-spinner Kaneria, Marlon Samuels came good and hit some telling blows. PHOTO: AFP

Thus were brought together the characters in a most compelling sub-plot: Samuels, who walked in at four and looked to further his new-found consistency as a batsman; Kaneria, who is perceived as an attacking leg-spinning option and was introduced in the 21st over; Lara, who is the world's best player of spin.

Samuels struggled initially with Kaneria, feeling for the ball in front of his leading pad and missing.

But, suitably emboldened having clouted Iftikhar for a glorious albeit slightly mis-hit straight six, Samuels took to Kaneria.

A hard hit straight was followed by delightful use of the feet to lever Kaneria into the yellow and orange bucket seats of the second tier.

Lara's two-steps

Kaneria almost snuck a googly behind Lara's legs. The left-hander, however, countered by frequent two-steps down the track, not allowing Kaneria's length to settle.

Samuels brought up his half-century with a searing six, straight again, off Shoaib Malik in the 41st over as the West Indies looked to press on.

But, Mohammad Hafeez had Lara caught behind, thus ending the 91-run partnership. Samuels departed for 63, but Dwayne Smith — 32 off 15 — plundered at the death.

Grandees honoured

Before the start of the game, the members of the West Indies squads that won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 were honoured.

The grandees of yesteryear, in crisp maroon blazers, stood along the boundary in front of the new, magnificent North Stand, as Tony Cozier emceed the occasion.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies: C. Gayle c Akmal b Gul 2, S. Chanderpaul c Akmal b Anjum 19, R. Sarwan c Younis b Anjum 49, M. Samuels c Malik b Hafeez 63, B. Lara c Akmal b Hafeez 37, D. Bravo c Naved b Anjum 16, D. Ramdin st Akmal b Kaneria 1, D. Smith c Inzamam b Gul 32, J. Taylor run out 2, D. Powell (not out) 1, C. Collymore (not out) 8; Extras (lb-2, w-6, nb-3) 11. Total (for nine in 50 overs) 241.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-64, 3- 77, 4-168, 5-181, 6-183, 7-223, 8-228, 9-232.

Pakistan bowling: Gul 9-1-38-2, Naved 9-1-49-0, Anjum 10-3-44-3, Kaneria 9-2-45-1, Hafeez 9-0-39-2, Malik 4-0-24-0

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