Inzamam produces another vital century

GEORGETOWN, MAY 6. Inzamam-ul-Haq fashioned as vital a hundred as his previous nine to bring Pakistan back into the opening Test of three against the West Indies at Bourda Oval on Friday.

Once more carrying the batting on his broad, meaty shoulders, Inzamam accumulated an unbeaten 117 and shared a sixth-wicket record with Abdur Razzaq, batting on 80, to revive his side's sagging fortunes when bad light stopped play with Pakistan at 221 for five and three overs left to be bowled.

Put in, Pakistan had crumbled to 39 for five in the first hour- and-a-half as the West Indies fast bowlers, led by Curtly Ambrose with three wickets, gave proof that their side's decision might have been justified.

For more than four hours, Inzamam and Razzaq stood up to the West Indies and dramatically transformed the direction of the opening day with an unbroken stand of 182. Studious in defence, but ruthless in his attacking strokeplay, Inzamam showed his liking for the West Indies' bowling by batting for close to six hours and striking seventeen 4s for his third Test hundred against it.

For someone in only his fourth Test and entering at the time he did, Razzaq batted with much aplomb to win the Oscar for playing the best supporting role in an innings that has spanned close to five hours in which time he has scored eleven 4s.

The two had been paired after Ambrose and company torpedoed the top-order of the Pakistan batting. In the penultimate over before lunch, Inzamam, on 32, was fortunate when Sherwin Campbell at second slip got only his finger-tips to the ball after he top- edged a cut off Reon King.

His wicket would have been the icing on the cake for the West Indies in a sensational morning period that saw Ambrose rip the heart out of Pakistan's batting.

It was Courtney Walsh, however, who made the breakthrough after opening batsmen Mohammed Wasim and Wajahatullah Wasti appeared to be batting solidly. Walsh, playing his first international match since becoming the world's leading Test wicket-taker in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Kingston just over a month ago, bowled Wasti for eight with the last ball of the third over.

Ambrose struck with the fifth ball of the next over when Mohammed Wasim was also bowled for four, and then proceeded to capture the wickets of Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana off successive balls in his sixth over.

Younis was adjudged lbw for two when he played across a well- pitched delivery and Youhana was brilliantly caught down the leg- side by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs for nought, in side- edging a forcing stroke.

The excitement died down a bit as Inzamam and captain Moin Khan batted for close to half an hour, but the Pakistan captain was caught at gully with King's first ball in a Test before his home crowd.

Pakistan's innings was in strife and the West Indies might have expected a rout. Instead, Inzamam and Razzaq got firmly rooted and established a new sixth-wicket record for Pakistan against the West Indies and for the Bourda Oval.

Their stand blotted out the 166 shared by Wazir Mohammad and Abdul Hafiz Kardar 42 years ago in the Kingston Test, which is remembered for Sir Garfield Sobers' world record innings of 365 not out. And they beat the 127 between Colin Cowdrey and Allan Knott 32 years ago which was the highest for the ground.

It was a gripping contest between bat and ball throughout the partnership between Inzamam and Razzaq which ensured the West Indies went wicketless over the last two periods the day.

Apart from his brush with death, Inzamam endured a testing period from Ambrose when the beanpole fast bowler served up a few short- pitched balls. Some of them the Pakistan vice- captain made disappear to the boundary, some others Ambrose succeeded in getting a evasive response from the batsman.

Razzaq, too, had his moments with Nixon McLean. He was subjected to a string of blows up and down his mid-section, but rode it out to bring some respect back to his side's batting. - AFP

Gutsy Inzamam-ul-Haq hooks Nixon McLean during his century knock on the first day of the first Test between Pakistan and the West Indies on Friday. - AP

Abdur Razzaq, who played a perfect supporting role to Inzamam, plays a cover drive. Right: Gutsy Inzamam-ul-Haq hooks Nixon McLean during his century knock on the first day of the first Test between Pakistan and the West Indies on Friday. - AP

Pakistan 262 for six

GEORGETOWN, MAY 6. Pakistan was 262 for six after 111 overs against the West Indies at lunch on the second day of the first Test here on Saturday. Abdur Razzaq (87) and Wasim Akram (16) were at the crease. Inzamam-ul-Haq, who made a fine 135, was the lone batsman dismissed in the session.

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