Date-stamped : 18 Nov97 - 10:29
17-21 November 1997

Pakistan v West Indies, 1st Test - Reports

Day 1 - Dawn

Mushtaq mesmerises Windies with his crafty bowling

By Samiul Hasan

PESHAWAR, Nov 17: Spin wizard Mushtaq Ahmad bowled Pakistan into
a commanding position in the first Test of the three-match
series against the West Indies that started at the Arbab Niaz
Stadium here on Monday. Mushtaq captured five wickets for 35
runs to help Pakistan skittle out the tourists for a mere 151 -
their fourth lowest score against Pakistan in 32 Tests.

But the West Indies struck back through their skipper Courtney
Walsh who dismissed Aamir Sohail shortly before bad light forced
an early closure by 16.3 overs.

Pakistan, at stumps, were 14 for one. Saeed Anwar (10) and Ijaz
Ahmad will resume the home team's first innings on Tuesday
morning. Mushtaq, playing his first match for Pakistan in two
weeks after skipping the four-nation tournament, bowled
intelligently and impressively to collect his first five-wicket
haul against the West Indies and eighth in 32 Tests.

"The wicket gave some assistance but I am glad that I bowled
where I should have been bowling," Mushtaq said, admitting: "I
was not very sure before the start of the match if I would be
effective because I was short of match practice. I had started
bowling only three days back since I wanted to give the troubled
knee as much rest as possible." Mushtaq anticipated that the
wicket would go slower and flatter as the match would progress.
"But this is quite an encouraging performance and I would like
to improve it in the second innings."

Mushtaq came in to bowl in ideal conditions - the West Indies
three down for 16 runs and the ball only 16 overs old. And he
was immediately in the business when he got a lucky leg before
decision against Sherwin Campbell, a stroke before lunch.

After lunch, Mushtaq first bowled Phil Simmons with a wrong 'un
and then invited Carl Hooper for a sweep shot to force an error
as the in-form batsman was caught at silly-mid-on by Mohammad
Wasim. Rawl Lewis, lost his stumps off a Mushtaq flipper.

It was at this point that the West Indies headed for a
disasterous start in the Test series being 58 for seven. But
some erratic bowling, determined batting and the absence of
Waqar Younis allowed the visitors to reach 151.

Mushtaq completed the five-wicket haul in the fourth over of his
second spell when he trapped Curtly Ambrose in front of the
wickets. Mushtaq's first spell read: 14-7-18-4.

Akram, who was lucky to lose the toss in the morning, persisted
with either himself or Azhar Mahmood or Shahid Nazir from the
far end and including himself tried to generate pace from an
unfavourable track to be hit all over the ground.

Arshad Khan, who became Pakistan's 149th Test player and fifth
this season in four Tests, was used only for four overs. Need
not to mention that he was brought in place of Saqlain Mushtaq
who has 46 wickets in 12 Tests.

The three bowlers shared 15 overs amongst between themselves in
the second spell and only Azhar Mahmood succeeded by picking up
the wickets of David Williams and Ian Bishop who shared in a
face-saying 48-run partnership for the eighth wicket in 70
minutes. Had Pakistan gone in with Waqar Younis, the speed
merchant would have been able to cause more problems to the West
Indies with his trademark reverse swings.

But while Azhar Mahmood picked up two wickets later in the
innings, Shahid Nazir justified his selection by accounting for
Stuart Williams (4) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (0) to provide
Pakistan the perfect platform to dismiss the West Indies
cheaply.

But the most crucial and key wicket of Brian Lara was grabbed by
Wasim Akram himself when he dragged the master batsman into the
shot to have him caught by Mushtaq at gully.

Akram bowled with fire and venom in his first spell of seven
overs. He looked determined to prove his critics and specially
the chief executive of the cricket board, Majid Khan, that he
has not passed his prime. Akram could easily have Stuart
Williams on the first ball of the match but Said Shah, standing
in his first Test, turned down a very close leg before appeal.

As far as the West Indies batting is concerned, it remained
lacklustre and unimpressive except for a few glorious drives
played by the stylish Carl Hooper.

The top order looked somewhat in a hurry and threw their bats at
everything, the dismissals of Williams and Simmons are cases in
point. In fact, the lower order batsmen batted with more
patience and courage with the last six batsmen contributing 94
runs but most importantly occupying the crease for more than 120
minutes.

Williams scored a defiant 99-minute 31 with three boundaries,
Ian Bishop contributed a useful 20 and Curtly Ambrose hammered
three fours and two sixes in his rapid 45-ball 30.

But the way the lower order has batted, it has clearly shown
that the wicket is getting easier and slower. The Pakistan
batsmen should bat sensibly and cautiously to build up a good
score and help the team take a big lead that would surely bring
the visitors under pressure.

Source::  Dawn (http://dawn.com/)

Day 1 : Electronic Telegraph

West Indies in anguish after batting failure

By Peter Deeley in Peshawar

IN THE context of their halcyon years, this was a pygmy
performance by the front-line West Indies batsmen, saved from
complete ignominy only by tail-end resistance.

Caribbean greats of recent memory must be squirming in anguish
after the opening day of this first Test and one was there to
witness it. Clive Lloyd, now the manager, looked as if he had
swallowed a couple of the worst offenders at lunch when four
wickets - including Brian Lara - were down for 29 runs.

With Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul dismissed for a collective
three runs having faced 15 balls between them, there seems no
meat to the rest of West Indies batting anymore. Such reading
must put a spring in the step of Michael Atherton as he
contemplates the coming Caribbean series.

Courtney Walsh chose to bat then found the ball swinging
considerably early on. Bowled out for 151 in 259 minutes, it was
only the addition of 93 by the last three partnerships that
prevented the visitors plumbing the utter depths. As it was,
they avoided, by some distance, their previous lowest total in
Pakistan, 53 at Faisalabad in 1986-87.

There was some let up in the Caribbean gloom when Walsh had
Aamir Sohail caught low at first slip by Lara to leave Pakistan
14 for one as bad light descended at 4.08 pm.

The West Indies felt hard done-by that umpire David Shepherd
considered conditions were too dangerous with Curtly Ambrose
midway through his third over but they should direct their
complaints to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

To the mark the 50th anniversary of independence, the PCB have
crammed two three-Test tours and a week of day-night
internationals into 10 weeks.

It is now winter and up here in the north of the country, the
light goes so quickly that this Test is limited to 5.5 hours
daily playing time and 83 overs - on paper, that is. Dew, this
time in the morning, then cloud cover meant there were only 65.

Pakistan called back one of their limitless supply of young fast
bowlers, Shahid Nazir, 19, and he dismissed Stuart Williams and
Chanderpaul in the space of three balls.

Then Pakistan captain Wasim Akram angled one wider and slightly
slower across Lara and the batsman, going for a full-blooded
cover drive, was caught low down at gully by Mushtaq Ahmed.
Wasim had remembered how Australia's Glenn McGrath dismissed
Lara this way several times.

Mushtaq, at his chirpy best after a fortnight off, enjoyed
himself as Phil Simmons and debutant Rawl Lewis totally misread
his googly.

Carl Hooper was caught off his glove sweeping and Sherwin
Campbell went back on his stumps to the last ball before lunch.
Mushtaq's first 14-over spell gave him four for 18.

Diminutive wicketkeeper David Williams battled for more than 90
minutes after being dropped early and was top scorer with 31. He
shared the innings' biggest stand, 48, with Ian Bishop and at
the end, Ambrose hit two sixes before becoming Mushtaq's final
victim and part of his eighth five-wicket Test haul.

"We bowled well and now it's up to the batsmen to help us gain a
good lead," said Pakistan coach Haroon Rasheed.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

Day 2 report- Electronic Telegraph

Missiles fly as Pakistan consolidate advantage

By Peter Deeley in Peshawar

THE West Indies must have thought they were fighting on two
fronts yesterday in the first Test at Peshawar.

Pakistan grabbed the upper hand without ever really dominating,
but the visitors also had to watch their backs in the field to
dodge missiles thrown by the crowd.

After the West Indies' demoralising batting on the first day,
Pakistan opened a 95-run lead by the end of the second day at
246 for five.

On a pitch that had flattened out considerably Curtly Ambrose
bowled tightly all day without result, but then blotted his
copybook at the end, throwing down the ball in disgust when
umpire David Shepherd ruled the light was too bad for him to
bowl the day's last three balls.

Fielding at third man, Ambrose was one of the targets used by
spectators to lob ripe fruit - and even, it seemed, the skull of
a small animal - over the high iron fencing.

Play was twice stopped as the players gathered in the middle and
police, waving their long lathi sticks, ineffectually chased
youths up and down the terraces.

When one youth was caught, he was given an impromptu kick and a
clout before being carted away for goodness knows what further
punishment.

Home umpire Said Shah came over to the mob and appealed for
calm. Then a loudspeaker announcement told the crowd in Pushto,
the local dialect, that they were damaging the international
image of Pakistan by their behaviour.

Almost every international match held in Peshawar has produced
this pelting of players by the largely Pathan people, who dwell
in this rather wild frontier area close to the Khyber Pass.

Philo Wallace, who was bombarded as he took water to one of his
colleagues, said: "What worries me is that they will start
throwing stones. We have complained to the match officials and
they have taken it up with the authorities, who seem unable to
do anything."

The West Indies had enough playing troubles to concern them in
the morning when the delicate touch of Saeed Anwar - who will
surely delight Derbyshire watchers next summer - and the
bludgeon of Ijaz Ahmed added 133 for the second wicket, both
reaching half-centuries.

It seemed at times there were two captains on the field. Phil
Simmons was called into the attack by Courtney Walsh, but when
Walsh left the field briefly, Brian Lara took Simmons off and
replaced him with leg-spinner Rawl Lewis.

Walsh simply gave Simmons a consoling pat on the back when he
returned. Then, when Lara was briefing Ian Bishop on field
placings, Walsh wandered up as if to see what was going on.
Those close to the West Indies say they are one side divided in
two - and this may be the root of their problem.

Walsh took two wickets, but has been suffering from flu and did
not look fully fit. He dropped a sitter of a chance at mid-on
and near the end incurred four overthrows from a wild shy.

Lewis, on his Test debut, hardly bothered Pakistan. His 19 overs
cost 70 runs and he beat the bat once, when a top-spinner flew
high off Mohammad Wasim's bat for four.

Carl Hooper collected two wickets. Anwar tried to cut him and
top-edged to David Williams, and then Wasim Akram was drawn out
of his crease in an attempt to mow the ball to the fence and
Williams took the stumping.

Akram is due to fly to England next week for what he called a
routine check-up on the shoulder that required an operation in
August. He should be available for the second Test, starting in
Rawalpindi on Nov 29.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

Day 2 Report - Dawn

WI snatch back initiative from Pakistan

By Samiul Hasan

PESHAWAR, Nov 18: Pakistan squandered a golden opportunity to
build a sizable lead over the West Indies when they finished the
second day of the first cricket Test at 246 for five at the
Arbab Niaz Stadium here on Tuesday.

Last evening's overnight pair of Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmad had
set a perfect stage for a huge first innings total when they
shared in an enterprising 133-run second wicket partnership. But
the departure of the two batsmen in a space of 14 balls, exposed
Pakistan's brittle and suspected batting.

Mohammad Wasim was unfortunate to drag in Courtney Walsh's
delivery, which kept low, on to his stumps while skipper Wasim
Akram was stumped by David Williams off Carl Hooper when he was
half way down the wicket What is more upsetting and
mind-boggling is the fact that Akram once again came ahead of
Azhar Mahmood. Akram had done the same in the quadrangular
tournament that cost Pakistan the match against South Africa. It
is time that Pakistan coach Haroon Rasheed injected into Akram's
mind that technically Azhar is a more technically sound and
reliable batsman than him.

The home team could have been in further disarray had Courtney
Walsh held on to simplest of chances offered by Inzamamul Haq at
mid-on. But the West Indies skipper showed greasy palms and
Pakistan escaped from being four down for 159. Nevertheless,
Walsh partly settled his account with Inzamam when his yorker
struck Inzamam's centre finger of the right foot which forced
the batsman to retire. But this catch will certainly haunt Walsh
in his dreams because it would have brought the West Indies
right back into the Test.

Pakistan coach Haroon Rasheed said Inzamam was under tremendous
pain but has survived any fractures. He was optimistic that the
batsman will bat on Wednesday. However, ever-reliable Moin Khan
and hero of the first Test against South Africa, Azhar Mahmood,
guided Pakistan safely to stumps without damage. Moin, who is
aggressive by nature, struck six boundaries and a massive six to
Test debutant Rawl Lewis to be batting on 36. Azhar was on 14
with the two having added 39 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket
partnership.

The feature of the day was, however, innings of contrasting
styles by Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmad. While Saeed batted with a
mixture of defence and controlled aggression, Ijaz was more over
ambitious when he threw his bat against everything. But the
hallmark of both the innings was that the two key batsmen found
their lost forms. Saeed Anwar desperately needed runs to retain
his place in the side and he obliged his fans with a delight 65
helped with nine exquisite boundaries. Anwar, who recorded his
14th half century in 25 tests, was under severe pressure when he
could score only 40 runs in five innings against South Africa.

Anwar, like the way he scored a century against the West Indies
in quadrangular cup match, played in the V with all his shots
going into the range of mid-wicket and cover. Anwar's trademark
flick and off the hips shots were a treat to watch as well. The
way Anwar batted proved that the batsman has worked really hard
on his batting as well as concentration.

Ijaz Ahmad, always low starter in the beginning of his innings,
was no exception this time also when nine of his first 13 runs
came from edges, including two boundaries. But as Ijaz spent
time in the centre, he grew from strength to strength to play
some exhilarating cuts and pulls. Ijaz was extremely severe
against Test debutant Rawl Lewis when he struck the bowler for
four boundaries in his as many overs before lunch.

Courtney Walsh never brought Lewis again until Ijaz was at the
crease. But when Ijaz was well set for his sixth Test century, a
shot for which he deserves a kick in the pants, brought his
dismissal. He flashed a wide ball from Ian Bishop to be held by
Carl Hooper in slips. Ijaz scored 65 with 10 blistering
boundaries from 134 balls after a little over three hours of
occupancy of the wicket. It was his 10th half century in 40
Tests.

The West Indies bowling remained erratic while the fielding
sloppy as the fielders gifted the batsmen with some cheap runs
Courtney Walsh added the wicket of Mohammad Wasim to his
yesterday's scalp of Aamir Sohail to finish with two for 30.
Hooper accounted for Saeed Anwar behind the wickets and then had
Wasim Akram to end with two for 37.

Source::  Dawn (http://dawn.com/)

Day 3: Electronic Telegraph

Lara nurses West Indies rescue hope

By Peter Deeley in Peshawar


BRIAN LARA today faces one of the major challenges of his
remarkable career if he is to dig West Indies out of trouble in
the first Test against Pakistan.

The task is formidable. West Indies, trailing by 230 on the
first innings, are now 99 for two with two days to play. Yet
there were hints from Lara yesterday that he was ready in mind
and body to take up the burden.

After nearly 10 hours in the field West Indies looked extremely
tired when they faced a final two hours at the crease, and they
lost two early wickets.

With the evening shadows already creeping across the ground Lara
offered a trailer of what West Indies hope will be another
feature-length Test innings.

He used his feet to the debutant off-spinner Arshad Khan to loft
him for three boundaries in four balls, then when Mushtaq took
over, spanked him for three more all through the covers.

The left hander finished the day unbeaten on 36 off 44 balls
having hit, in all, eight boundaries. But he was not done. While
his partner Shirwin Campbell walked off, Lara summoned local
bowling and stayed on the edge of the ground for another 15
minutes hammering the advertising boards.

There was good reason for West Indies bowlers at least to look
so weary. They let a hobbling Inzamam-ul-Haq pilot his
tail-enders to such effect that the last two wickets added 77.

Inzamam returned at the first wicket down, having retired the
previous day with a bruised left foot, struck when he was
fielding. His attack on new West Indies leg-spinner Rawl Lewis
was pitiless, striking him for two straight sixes.

Lewis has had a baptism he will not forget, finishing wicketless
for 93 runs off 24 overs. He might have claimed Inzamam on 88
when an edge looped over slip, where Phil Simmons raced back
eight paces and could not hold on.

Courtney Walsh finished with five wickets in a Test innings for
the 14th time, and he said he could not remember a more tiring
day.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)


Day 3- Dawn

Pakistan well placed after Inzamam's heroics

By Samiul Hasan

PESHAWAR, Nov 19: Inzamamul Haq was denied of a personal
landmark but his heroics were enough to put Pakistan in a
winning position against the West Indies in the first cricket
Test being played here at the Arbab Niaz Stadium.

Inzamam scored a brave and courageous unbeaten 92 to propel
Pakistan to 381 that provided the home team a first innings lead
of 230. In the post-tea session, Wasim Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed
picked up the wickets of Stuart Williams (3) and Shivnarine
Chanderpaul (14) respectively to reduce the West Indies to 99
for two at stumps on the third day, still 131 runs in arrears.
But the only concern in the Pakistan camp would be the form
shown by Brian Lara in his 40-minute innings in which he
hammered nine punishing boundaries, including two each in Arshad
Khan and Mushtaq Ahmed's one over. With Lara was Sherwin
Campbell batting on 34 that included five hits to the fence. But
the star of the day was, however, Inzamamul Haq who was robbed
of his first century at home as he ran out of partners. Shahid
Nazir (18) and Mushtaq Ahmed (4) gave excellent support to
Inzamam but their efforts could not help Inzamam to break the
jinx.

It has been the third time that Inzamam has reached 90s - second
time on this centre in two years - in home Tests but failed to
complete centuries. Inzamam batted with authority and confidence
but the key element of luck also favoured him. He was dropped
four times when on 5, 32, 35 and 88 besides escaping with a very
close run-out call. Nevertheless, as people say `fortunes favour
the brave', same happened to the star batsman.

Inzamam was handicapped when he had to bat with a runner after
receiving telling blows on his left foot. On the first day, a
David Williams struck him on his ankle and on Tuesday, a
Courtney Walsh yorker crushed his middle finger of the same
foot. But he defied all pains to play an innings which may well
help Pakistan notch up his first Test win over the West Indies
in seven years. Pakistan last beat the Caribbeans in the 1990-91
home series at Karachi by eight wickets.

Inzamam was a class by himself. He struck the ball with
ferocious power and the nine boundaries that came of his willow
hardly allowed the fielders any chance. The two sixes he struck
off Rawl Lewis were simply blistering as one of them landed in
the Pakistan team dressing room. Overall, Inzamam occupied the
crease for four hours and 33 minutes during which he received
191 balls. But while Inzamam was dropped four times, Mohammad
Wasim did all his leg work as he did the duty of the 27-year-old
batsman's runner. On Tuesday, Aamir Sohail had done the similar
work before Inzamam had to retire when 13. Inzamam also
benefited from the legs of Wasim on 88 when he narrowly survived
a run-out. Had Inzamam being running himself, he would have
surely been run-out by half the pitch as he is one of the
slowest movers in cricket today and perhaps the worst runners
between the wickets.

Inzamam's cause was also eased out by erratic and ill-planned
West Indies bowlers. Inzamam was having problems in coming on to
the front foot and instead of pitching the ball up, they bowled
short of length which Inzamam played comfortably on the back
foot with all the weight of his body coming on his strong right
leg. Inzamam, on Wednesday, was quick to get down to business
when overnight batsman Azhar Mahmood departed in the second over
of the day with Pakistan only adding four runs to his overnight
score of 246 for five.

Together with Moin Khan, Inzamam added 44 runs for the seventh
wicket. The stand was broken when Moin mistimed a hook and was
taken safely this time by Courtney Walsh at mid-on off Ian
Bishop. Moin, who had resumed this morning at 36, registered his
seventh Test half century in 30 games by hitting a valuable 58
which was Pakistan innings fourth half century. The Pakistan
wicketkeeper, who played the four-nation cup at Lahore as a
batsman, struck seven elegant boundaries and two sixes in his
124-ball innings which lasted for about three hours. But it were
the stands with Shahid Nazir and Mushtaq Ahmed that helped
Pakistan reach 381 and Inzamam 92. For the ninth wicket, Inzamam
and Nazir put on 43 runs in 77 minutes. And when Mushtaq joined
his pal, Inzamam was 62 but managed to add another 30 in a
partnership of 34 in 42 minutes.

For the West Indies, Courtney Walsh, who ended Mushtaq's
resilience with a perfectly executed yorker, finished with five
wickets for 78 runs in 32 overs. It was the 14th time that the
35-year-old Jamaican had taken five or more wickets in an
innings in 94 Tests. An injury-prone Ian Bishop finished with
three for 76 and the other two wickets went to Carl Hooper.

Source::  Dawn (http://dawn.com/)

Day 4 report- Electronic Telegraph

Lara typifies sad state of West Indies

By Peter Deeley in Peshawar

BRIAN LARA failed to deliver and West Indies' batting crumbled
once more yesterday on a pitch without any real terrors as the
one-time unofficial world champions went down sorrily to their
heaviest defeat by Pakistan - an innings and 19 runs - in under
three and a half days in the first Test here.

You would need a long memory to recall such an insipid
performance by a Caribbean XI. If the bowling was adequate - and
no more - the batting lacked character, heart and quality.

Quite what West Indies do to turn this three-Test series around
defies conjecture. The batsmen in reserve are Philo Wallace, the
new boy, and Roland Holder, now almost 30 and whose average in
seven Tests is around 32. Jimmy Adams is away in South Africa
leading the A team.

West Indies now meet Pakistan a week tomorrow in Rawalpindi and
before then there is a three-day game in Hyderabad. Sherwin
Campbell was the only player in either innings to pass 50 and he
had to play a lone hand once Lara was dismissed in the third
over.

Lara was once more guilty of flirting in the gully area as early
as the second ball he faced. Wasim Akram had every right to look
outraged as Mushtaq Ahmed spilt a chance coming at chest height
before the batsman had even added to his overnight total.

But as television showed that Wasim was guilty of a blatant
no-ball, missed by the local umpire, Said Shah, it was perhaps
fortunate for the sake of harmony that Lara survived. He
scampered a run from that let-off but at the other end, Azhar
Mahmood immediately brought a ball back into the left-hander and
this time there was no argument.

Carl Hooper hit Mushtaq for six but in the next over stretched
for a drive and was brilliantly caught low down by the
substitute Saqlain Mushtaq at short extra cover.

From then on, there was almost an air of embarrassment at the
procession to and from the pavilion. First the all-rounder Phil
Simmons (who has scored two runs and bowled two overs in the
game) tried to swing Mushtaq through the onside and the edge
flew to extra cover. Campbell's stout fight ended after nearly
four hours when he pushed across the line at Wasim and, next
ball, Rawl Lewis (four runs and no wickets) obligingly stepped
into the Pakistan captain's firing line.

Five wickets had gone down by lunch and though David Williams
again resisted for over an hour, it was all over 45 minutes
later.

Mushtaq finished with 10 wickets in a Test for the third time.
He was frantically searching for one more when Courtney Walsh
hit him for six. Then Wasim stole the moment in the next over as
Pakistan successfully claimed their fifth leg-before in the
innings - seven in the match - against Ian Bishop.

West Indies' bowlers did not win a single lbw appeal but Walsh
knows the penalties for speaking out about umpiring and
contented himself afterwards with saying: "Much as I would love
to comment I will have to leave it alone."

He at least had some small consolation. Someone stole his bat
but it was handed back to him after apparently being found in a
house some 50 miles away.

That apart, West Indies can draw no shred of comfort from this
miserable defeat. Even the high fives are low threes these days.


Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

Day 4 Report- Dawn

Pakistan whip West Indies by an innings and 19 runs

By Samiul Hasan

PESHAWAR, Nov 20: Pakistan's champion spinner Mushtaq Ahmed
recorded his fourth 10-wicket haul in a match as Pakistan
whipped the West Indies by an innings and 19 runs in the opening
Test of the three-match series at the Arbab Niaz Stadium here on
Thursday.

Mushtaq, named Man-of-the-Match, followed up his five for 35 in
the first innings with five for 71 in the second as the visitors
were sent crashing out for 211 while needing 230 to make the
home team bat again. That gave the little Mushy his career-best
match figures of 10 for 106 eclipsing the previous best of 10
for 143 against New Zealand at Lahore last year.

The West Indies, who lost with more than one-and-a-half day to
spare, had resumed this morning at 99 for two. The match was
also a personal achievement for skipper Wasim Akram. The star
allrounder made his critics bite the dust by claiming four
wickets for 65 runs besides becoming the only Pakistani captain
after late Abdul Hafeez Kardar to beat the once mighty West
Indies by an innings margin. Kardar's team had defeated F.C.M
Alexander's West Indies by an innings and one run at
Port-of-Spain in the inaugural 1957-58 series.

Akram, leading Pakistan in a Test after more than 12 months
because of shoulder injury, had come into the match with a lot
of pressure. PCB's Chief Executive Majid Khan had joined the
band-wagon of critics. The former Pakistan captain had lashed
out at the speedster by saying he was past his prime. But Akram
again proved that he still had a lot to offer to Pakistan
cricket.

Akram was also an integral part of the team which beat Sri Lanka
by an innings at the Arbab Niaz Stadium two years ago. He had a
match haul of 10 wickets in that game which was interestingly
the debut Test of the centre. The last and decisive wicket,
however, went to Azhar Mahmood who trapped master batsman Brian
Lara in front of the wickets in the fourth over of the
penultimate day. An over before, Lara was dropped by Mushtaq
Ahmed at gully off Akram. Lara, who lasted just four balls
today, was let off on the second ball he faced.

Lara was one of the four batsmen, including top scorer Sherwin
Campbell (66), to be adjudged leg before by the 57-year-old
English umpire David Shepherd. Mushtaq Ahmed, by taking 10
wickets for 106 in the match, has confirmed his status as the
most glittering wrist-spinner who adores the modern game.

In the last 14 Tests for Pakistan, Mushtaq has captured 97
wickets starting from the 1995-96 season in which he bagged 28
wickets in three Tests, including 18 in the two Tests against
Australia and 10 wickets for 171 runs in the one-off Test
against New Zealand at Christchurch. Mushtaq, who is one of the
five Wisden cricketers of the year, in the current Test clinched
success from mesmerising spin, accuracy and bounce with
deceptive googlies. His instincts were to outwit the batsmen
rather than wear them down. And his positive approach worked
wonders as Carl Hooper (23) attempted a cover drive to be
smartly caught at covers by Wasim Akram. Then Mushtaq deceived
Phil Simmons (1) with a flipper as the batsman ended up skying
the ball into the hands of substitute fielder Saqlain Mushtaq.

After lunch, Mushtaq had a lucky bat and pad decision against
David Williams (20) while completing his five-wicket haul when
Curtly Ambrose became too adventurous and danced down the track
to leave substitute wicketkeeper Mohammad Wasim with a simple
stumping. On Wednesday, Mushtaq had Shivnarine Chanderpaul who
was caught in the slips by Ijaz Ahmed after the ball had
deflected the shoulder of Aamir Sohail who was keeping wickets.
Wasim Akram, whose all four victims were trapped leg before,
bowled with hostility and fire. He proved that he was superbly
fit by bowling 23 overs in three spells.

The West Indies vulnerability against quality spinner and lack
of depth in batting was clearly exposed. After Brian Lara was
the third batsman out in the fourth over of the day to make the
tourists 102 for three, the remaining seven wickets went down
for just 109 runs.

Clive Lloyd, the West Indies manager, may emphasise that his
team doesn't depend only on Lara, the fact is the other way
round. Moreover, except for Carl Hooper there is no batsman in
the West Indies team who could easily walk into any of the top
three current Test teams viz Australia, South Africa and
Pakistan. There was Philo Wallace who showed form and maturity
in the four-dayer at Rawalpindi but he was not included in the
Test side for reasons unknown.

The stand of umpiring, it would not be out of context to say,
remained below-par. Said Shah, who was standing in his debut
Test, and David Shepherd were too generous towards the home team
but if the West Indies go back and evaluate the Test, they would
find that lacklustre batting in the first innings and sloppy
fielding in Pakistan's 381 combined to end in a humiliating
defeat.

Source::  Dawn (http://dawn.com/)


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