Brian Lara drives for one of his four sixes on his way to a superb 130 on the opening day of the first Test between the West Indies and Pakistan at the Kensington Oval, Barbados yesterday. - DELLMAR PHOTO
KARACHI, (Reuters):
BRIAN LARA smashed a majestic 130 to lift West Indies to a total of 345 on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Barbados yesterday.
Pakistan struck back in the final session, however, claiming the last six West Indies wickets before Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt took the touring side to 22 without loss at the close.
The 36-year-old Lara raced to his 29th Test hundred and third in four matches, helping his team recover from 45 for three along with captain Shivnarine Chander-paul who made a gritty 92.
Lara, rested for the recent one-day series which Pakistan swept 3-0, faced just 120 balls and hit 16 fours and four sixes, reaching his century by lifting legspinner Danish Kaneria over the long-off boundary.
The duel between Lara and the 24-year-old Kaneria dominated the afternoon session in which only one wicket fell as the prolific left-hander added 169 runs for the fourth wicket with Chanderpaul.
Lara hit Kaneria for several fours and four sixes but the legspinner had the last laugh when he bowled the former West Indies captain through the gate with a ball that turned a long way.
It was Lara's second successive hundred at the Kensington Oval following his 176 in the third Test against South Africa last month.
West Indies resumed after tea on 246 for four, but Wavell Hinds was run out for 28, Kaneria dismissed Chanderpaul for 92 and Courtney Browne, Daren Powell, Reon King and Fidel Edwards fell cheaply as the hosts collapsed.
Kaneria finished with figures of 3-114. Seamers Abdul Razzaq and Shabbir Ahmed also claimed three wickets.
Shabbir had struck two early blows in the morning session, removing Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan to leave West Indies struggling on 25 for two after choosing to bat.
Razzaq then picked up the wicket of Devon Smith as the home side slumped to 45 for three before Lara and Chander-paul fought back.
The West Indies' last Test victory was against Bangladesh in Jamaica last June. Their last eight Tests have brought six defeats and two draws.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies first innings
C. Gayle c Razzaq b Ahmed 4
D. Smith c Hameed b Razzaq 19
R. Sarwan c B. Khan b Ahmed 6
B. Lara b Kaneria 130
S. Chanderpaul c B. Khan b Kaneria 92
W. Hinds run out 28
C. Browne c Akmal b Ahmed 12
D. Powell b Razzaq 10
F. Edwards c Hameed b Kaneria 3
R. King c Akmal b Razzaq 3
C. Collymore not out 0
Extras (b-3 lb-6 nb-27 w-2) 3 8
Total (all out - 83.3 overs) 3 45
Fall: 1-12 2-25 3-45 4-214 5-263 6-287 7-336 8-336 9-343 10-345
Bowling: Naved-ul-Hasan 18-2-66-0 (nb-8), Ahmed 18-4-66-3 (nb-5 w-1), Razzaq 17-3-58-3 (nb-7 w-1), Kaneria 24.3-1-114-3 (nb-4), Afridi 6-0-32-0 (nb-2)
Pakistan first innings
S. Butt not out 5
S. Afridi not out 12
Extras (b-4 nb-1) 5
Total (for no loss - four overs) 22
Bowling: Edwards 2-0-6-0, Powell 2-0-12-0 (nb-1).
