Gutsy Ganga anchors West Indies after Gul's strike by AFP

---

Ground:	National Stadium, Karachi
Scorecard:	Pakistan v West Indies
Player:	Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria, Imran Farhat, D Ganga, CH Gayle
Event:	West Indies in Pakistan 2006/07

---

DateLine: 28th November 2006

 

Daren Ganga anchored the West Indies' innings in the third and final Test after Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul removed the top order at the National stadium here on Tuesday.

 

The 27-year-old Trinidadian posted a battling, unbeaten 77 to help the tourists recover from a precarious 51-3 to finish the second day at 191-6, still trailing by 113 runs to Pakistan's first-innings total of 304.

 

Gul dismissed opener Chris Gayle for 40, took the prized wicket of Brian Lara for nought and also got Ramnaresh Sarwan out for no score before Ganga repaired the damage with a patient five-hour stay at the crease.

 

He has so far hit nine boundaries during his 214-ball knock.

 

Ganga, who made 82 in the second Test, added 63 for the fourth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (36) and another 39 for the fifth with Runako Morton (21).

 

Smart catches close to the wicket by Imran Farhat off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria's bowling removed both men.

 

Gul finished with 3-49 while Kaneria chipped in with 3-48.

 

Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 following their nine-wicket win in the first Test at Lahore.

 

Gul, who took nine wickets in Pakistan's first Test win at Lahore, initiated the damage by removing the top order in his incisive second spell to leave the West Indies tottering in the second session.

 

Gul had Gayle caught off an uppish drive by Abdul Razzaq, who first juggled with the ball before taking the catch. Gayle, who was dropped off Gul by Farhat before lunch on 12, hit six boundaries.

 

Two balls later Gul produced a beautiful in-swinger which beat the forward push of Lara's bat and sent his off-stump cartwheeling. West Indies had high hopes for Lara, who hit a brilliant 216 in the drawn second Test at Multan.

 

Next over, Gul yorked Sarwan, knocking the middle stump out of the ground.

 

Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit his first ball for four, then Ganga hit three boundaries in the next Gul over as the tourists launched a fight back.

 

Chanderpual, who played his 100th Test at Multan, hit seven boundaries before his sharp on-drive was smartly snapped at silly mid-on by Farhat.

 

Morton and Ganga took the score to 153 before Morton hit Kaneria to Farhat, who took a smart catch even though the ball went close to his helmet.

 

Under the rules if a shot hits a fieldsman on his helmet it is not out.

 

Television umpire Rizauddin investigated replays but failed to reach a conclusion after five minutes, leaving the field umpires to rule Morton out.

 

Earlier, Gul chipped in with a handy knock of 26 to help Pakistan add 47 runs to their overnight score of 257-7 to be out for 304 in their first-innings.

 

Gul added 32 for the last wicket with Kaneria, who remained unbeaten on seven, before Powell returned for his second spell to finish with 2-83.

 

Corey Collymore, who returned the Windies' best figures of 3-57, removed Kamran Akmal (31) with the first delivery of the second new ball after Akmal hit two boundaries off Daren Powell in the first over of the morning.

 

Powell provided the visitors with the first breakthrough when he bowled Shahid Nazir without scoring in the second over of the day.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)