Samuels hits form to help Windies to win fourth ODI
by CricketArchive staff reporter
DateLine: 13th December 2006
Marlon Samuels hit his first century in four years to help the West
Indies beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the fourth one-day
international on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Jamaican was unbeaten on 100 to help his team recover
from an early wobble and added 141 runs for the third wicket with
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (60) as the tourists achieved the target with
15.1 overs to spare.
Yasir Hameed top-scored with 71 as a depleted Pakistan team managed 209
in 49.5 overs after winning the toss at the Multan Stadium.
The West Indies, trailing 2-1, need to win the fifth and final match in
Karachi on Saturday to square the series.
Samuels hit Abdul Razzaq for his 17th boundary to reach his second
one-day hundred. It also included a six and came off 99 balls.
Paceman Rana Naved-ul-Hasan had given Pakistan a good start by bowling
Chris Gayle (9) and trapping Lendl Simmons leg-before for a first ball
duck in his second over before the home team ran into Samuels and
Chanderpaul.
Chanderpaul, playing his first match of the series after sustaining a
knee injury, hit eight boundaries during his 82-ball knock before
hooking paceman Mohammad Sami straight to deep fine leg with just 58
needed for victory.
The Chanderpaul-Samuels third-wicket stand is a new record against
Pakistan, beating the 137 put on by Viv Richards and Richie Richardson
in Karachi in 1987.
Samuels, whose last fifty came against Sri Lanka in June 2003 and last
hundred against India in 2002, was harsh on recalled leg-spinner Shahid
Afridi whom he hit for three boundaries and completed his fifty off 61
balls.
Samuels and Brian Lara (13 not out) completed the victory when the West
Indies captain hit Rao Iftikhar for a boundary.
Pakistan, missing captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis
Khan, had a disastrous start as paceman Daren Powell dismissed Afridi
off his fourth ball and then had Imran Farhat caught in the slip in his
sixth over.
Fellow paceman Dwayne Smith then dismissed Mohammad Hafeez (1) and
Shoab Malik (0) to leave Pakistan struggling at 47-4 off 17 overs.
Hameed led the recovery through a 62-run fifth wicket stand with Faisal
Iqbal. The 28-year-old Hameed, playing his first match in 12 months,
hit three boundaries in his snail-paced 118-ball knock.
In the final overs Abdul Razzaq (33) added a quick 45 runs for the
eighth wicket with Naved (18) to boost the total.
Inzamam was ruled out by a finger injury, further depleting a Pakistan
side already missing Yousuf, who skipped the match to be with his
pregnant wife, and Younis, whose brother died recently.
Paceman Umar Gul and spinner Abdul Rehman were rested to make way for
Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Hameed and Iqbal.
The West Indies brought in Chanderpaul, Powell and Dave Mohammed. The
tourists rested Corey Collymore (flu), Daren Ganga and Jerome Taylor.
