Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
Pakistan batsman Asim Kamal (second left) is bowled for 51 by West Indies medium pacer Corey Collympore (right), while wicketkeeper Courtney Browne looks on during play on the opening day of the second Digicel Test, at Sabina Park yesterday. Collymore has so far taken 4-51. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
THE CONSENSUS going into the second and final Test of the Digicel series between the West Indies and Pakistan was that the match would end in a draw.
Although there are four more days to go, based on the action so far, with one innings not yet completed, that could well be the case.
At stumps on yesterday's opening day, Pakistan, batting first after winning the toss, were 336 for six.
That suggests that the honours are even but with four wickets in hand and the competent Abdul Razzaq not out on 19 and Kamran Akmal not out on 25, it could be some time before the visitors' first innings come to an end.
The consensus, however, was based on the reasoning that the batting of both teams would be too good for the bowling of both teams, and barring something surprising, the West Indies, despite the presence of right-arm legspinner Danish Kaneria in Pakistan's attack, are expected to bat as well as Pakistan, if not better.
SHAKY START
In an interesting start to a match which the West Indies, one-nil up after their victory at Kensington Oval need only to draw to win the series, the visitors looked shaky before vice-captain Younis Khan, 106, and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, 50, steadied them with a lovely third-wicket partnership of 87 off 20 overs.
That was followed by Younis and Asim Kamal, 51, who laid the foundation for a good total with a solid fourth-wicket stand of 117 off 35 overs.
The recovery was such that but for pacer Corey Collymore, who cut down Younis and Kamal in three overs as Pakistan dived from 247 for three to 260 five, who sent the dangerous Shahid Afridi packing at 298 for six, the visitors may well have ended a day of changing fortunes in control.
On a nice, warm day, on a slow pitch that offered a bit of movement off the seam, Pakistan's opening batsmen, Shoaib Malik, 13, and Yasir Hameed, 14, looked unsure against the pace of Daren Powell and Tino Best, and it was hardly a surprise when Hameed drove at the accurate Powell, edged a catch to Christopher Gayle at first slip, and departed the scene.
That was 16 for one in the seventh over, and it was 43 for two in the 14th over, when Malik, after escaping when an inside edge off Best just missed the offstump, after reeling off a superb drive through extra-cover off Powell, played forward to the consistent Collymore and nicked a catch to wicketkeeper Courtney Browne.
At that stage, and especially with Inzamam surviving two appeals for leg before wicket in the same over of Malik's demise, the bowlers of the West Indies, contrary to expectations, appeared on the way to knocking off Pakistan.
With Best and Reon King looking ordinary, however, with part-time offspinner Gayle bowling more overs than any of their specialist bowlers, the West Indies, despite the efforts of Powell - one for 54 from 16 overs, and Collymore - four for 54 from 22, were found wanting and had to settle for only four more wickets in the remaining 76 overs.
Playing in his 37th Test match and joining the action at the fall of the first wicket, the 28-year-old Younis ticked off his second Test century against the West Indies and the eighth of his career since his debut 107 against Sri Lanka in 2000 in an innings that lasted for 190 deliveries and during which he paraded some elegant strokes - 14 of which sped away to the boundary.
After the two shouts for leg before wicket before he had scored, Inzamam, who stroked seven delightful boundaries and looked good. But shortly after chalking up his 39th Test 50 and looking set to tick off his 22nd Test century, he played forward to the nagging Gayle, opened the face of his bat a bit and glanced a catch to Devon Smith at slip.
That was 130 for three in the 34th over, and with Younis stroking the ball sweetly, with Kamal doing likewise after a slow, cautious start, the West Indies never looked like getting another wicket before Collymore, returning after two lovely spells in which he took one wicket for 22 runs off 11 overs, picked them off one behind the other.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan first innings
S. Malik c Browne b Collymore 13
Y. Hameed c Gayle b D. Powell 14
Y. Khan not out 86
Inzamam-ul-Haq c D.S. Smith b Gayle 50
A. Kamal not out 24
Extras: (b-4 lb-2 nb-7 w-2) 15
Total: (for 3 wickets, 55 overs) 202
Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-43 3-130
To bat: S. Afridi, A. Razzaq, K. Akmal, Naved-ul-Hasan, S. Ahmed, D. Kaneria
Bowling: D. Powell 12-2-33-1, Best 10-0-57-0 (nb-5 w-1), Collymore 11-2-22-1 (nb-2), King 9-1-44-0 (w-1), Gayle 13-0-40-1.
