West Indies aims at series-levelling win over Pakistan by AFP

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Event:

West Indies in Pakistan 2006/07

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DateLine: 25th November 2006

 

West Indies were hoping to give Pakistan another tough fight and register a series-levelling win in the third Test which starts here from Monday.

 

The tourists dominated Pakistan and pressed hard for a win before the home team salvaged a creditable draw in the second match of the three-Test series at Multan on Thursday.

 

West Indian coach Bennett King said his team was determined to win the final Test.

 

"We certainly had our opportunities and were in a strong position. I am very encouraged by the performance of the last game and we expect to go from strength to strength for a series-levelling win," King said on Saturday.

 

West Indian captain Brian Lara led from the front with a magnificent 216 to give his team a healthy 234-run lead over Pakistan in the first innings.

 

Pakistan were just 74 ahead with their last five wickets in hand at lunch on the fifth and final day before Mohammad Yousuf (191) and Abdul Razzaq (80) put on a match-saving 152-run sixth wicket stand to help Pakistan escape.

 

Pakistan won the first Test by nine wickets in Lahore.

 

King praised his team's effort to push a higher-ranked Pakistan hard.

 

"We have been on the road for three months and the boys played some of the best cricket on the fifth day when most sides probably start to feel the effects of long tour, but these boys have shown mental fortitude," said King.

 

The 42-year old Australian, who took over as the West Indies coach two years ago, said his team needed to improve their fielding.

 

"I wouldn't say it was disappointing to let Pakistan off, but we only got ourselves to blame for the result and need to raise our fielding," said King, whose team let off Yousuf on 108 on the fifth day.

 

"I think we created enough opportunities and (Corey) Collymore bowled exceptionally well and had people edged the ball instead of missing it, as often as they did, the result would have been different," said King, who expects a slow turner in the third Test.

 

"There is grass but we expect it will be taken off in the next couple of days, its a pretty good batting track and can take spin as it gets along, but I certainly think that we extracted as much as we can out of the wickets we have played in this series."

 

King praised Lara and said he hoped that he would carry on his good form in the final Test.

 

"In the last two years he has got eight hundreds and its a good record, but he expects to do better and keep challenging himself which is a sign of a good player," said King about Lara, who scored century off just 77 balls in Multan.

 

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer agreed Lara was exceptional.

 

"Lara is without a peer and I know what he can do if you let him off so we need to check him," said Woolmer, who believed both teams can take confidence from the second Test performances.

 

"We played exceptionally well after being bowled out for 357 and conceding a lead. Now the West Indies have to win to level the series, we can still win if we draw the third one, so it will be a dogfight in this match," said Woolmer.

 

West Indies are likely to bring back batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan after dropping him for the second Test. Pakistan brought in paceman Mohammad Sami in their 15-man squad in place of left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman.

 

Squads (from):

 

West Indies: Brian Lara (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Lendl Simmons, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor, Omari Banks, Dave Mohammed.

 

Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Samiullah Niazi, Shahid Nazir, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria.

 

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Mark Benson (ENG)

 

TV umpire: Riazuddin (PAK)

 

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)