Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal (right) celebrate the dismissal of West Indies batsman Courtney Browne (left) during the first ODI in the Digicel Series at Arnos Vale, St. Vincent yesterday. - DELLMAR
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC:
PAKISTAN EXTENDED the West Indies' abysmal run in the 2005 home season, defeating the Caribbean side by 59 runs in the opening fixture of the three-match Digicel One-Day International series yesterday.
Defending a modest target after they were dismissed for 192 in the 45th over, the Pakistanis left a previously boisterous holiday crowd at the Arnos Vale playing field in stunned silence as the West Indies folded for 133 off 45.2 overs, improving their winning streak to five matches after taking the last four in the series against India six weeks earlier.
It was only the second time the hosts were beaten in 16 ODIs at the venue, the previous occasion being in 1993 when Pakistan were also the victors in a similar low-scoring contest.
Coming hard on the heels of a first-ever whitewash in the five-match contest with South Africa, the result left the home side with an abysmal record of just one win in their last 12 one-dayers heading into the final two matches of the series at the weekend at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.
RAZZAQ THE HERO
Abdul Razzaq emerged as Pakistan's hero, claiming four for 29 off nine overs of accurate medium-pace after earlier contributing 22 in the lower order to earn the Man-of-the-Match award.
The all-rounder's bowling effort highlighted a disciplined overall performance in the field by the tourists as Rana Naved-ul-Hassan, fellow-seamer Shabbir Ahmed and leg-spinning all-rounder Shahid Afridi claimed two wickets each.
Again it was poor shot selection that undid the West Indies top order in pursuit of a target of 193. Openers Xavier Marshall and Chris Gayle fell to Rana, both top-edging attempted hooks to give catches to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.
Setback at 26 for two in the seventh over, the home team needed stability and solidity but got neither.
GLOVED CATCH
Ramnaresh Sarwan prodded at Shabbir for Inzamam-ul-Haq to take a straightforward catch at slip, and when Runako Morton's laborious innings of 13 off 48 balls was ended by a gloved catch to Kamran with Afridi's very first delivery, all hope rested on the experienced pair of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Wavell Hinds at 58 for four in the 22nd over.
The pair added 16 runs without ever looking confident and when Razzaq struck in his first over, bowling Hinds off the inside edge between his legs, the die was cast, especially when Chanderpaul, dropped by Inzamam at slip, was caught at the wicket off Razzaq in the same over.
Pakistan had earlier looked on course for a total in excess of 250 after they were put in on a pitch that was expected to offer some assistance to the seamers.
Afridi threatened a typically explosive innings but was carelessly run out for 24 to end an opening partnership of 27 with Salman Butt in the sixth over.
Runs continued to flow easily despite the loss of Shoaib Malik, caught behind off Bradshaw for 13 in the 13th over, but, to their credit, the West Indies bowlers kept plugging away and picked up wickets just when it seemed Pakistan were poised to launch into the bowling.
There was also good support in the field with Marshall holding a good catch at cover-point to remove Butt in Bravo's first over for what proved to the topscore of the innings, 43.
His departure at 97 for three in the 23rd over brought together Pakistan's most experienced pair, Yousuff Youhana and skipper Inzamam.
SHARP WORK BY BROWNE
They also progressed serenely in the late morning sunshine and it took a sharp bit of work by Browne to separate them.
Attempting to guide a delivery from Wavell Hinds to third man, Youhana advanced out of his ground on playing the shot, unaware that Browne had snared the ball and whipped off the bails before the batsman could react, leaving him run out for 30.
With vice-captain Younis Khan joining Inzamam at 133 for four in the 30th over, Pakistan were again regaining their momentum when Gayle struck a double-blow in the 34th over that effectively ended their hopes for a formidable total.
Seeking to paddle Gayle off his pads, Inzamam was bowled round his legs for 23 while Younis was well caught by the bowler as Gayle dived to his right to take the chance despite being unsighted briefly by non-striker Razzaq.
From the relative comfort of 152 for five, the Pakistanis folded without much resistance.
With occupation of the crease required to make full use of the allotted 50 overs, Razzaq got to 22 and then drove Bradshaw to Sarwan at cover, while Shabbir was run out by Marshall to leave the Pakistanis with more than five overs unused.
It was an amateurish display that they should have been made to pay for heavily.
Unfortunately for the West Indies, it proved more than enough against a side that seems to have lost both the will and the way to win.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN innings
S. Butt c Marshall b Bravo 43
S. Afridi run out 24
S. Malik c Browne b Bradshaw 13
Y. Youhana run out 30
Inzamam-ul-Haq b Gayle 23
Y. Khan c & b Gayle 9
A. Razzaq c Sarwan b Bradshaw 22
K. Akmal c Browne b Collymore 6
Naved-ul-Hasan lbw b Gayle 1
I. Anjum not out 8
S. Ahmad run out 1
Extras (lb2 w10) 12
TOTAL (all out, 44.3 overs) 192
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-55, 3-97, 4-133, 5-152, 6-153, 7-168, 8-173, 9-190,10-192.
Bowling: Bradshaw 8-1-27-2, Powell 7-0-38-0 (w4), Collymore 7.4-1-24-1, W. Hinds 4-0-22-0, Chanderpaul 0.2-0-0-0, Bravo 7.3-0-31-1 (w4), Gayle 10-0-48-3 (w2).
WEST INDIES innings
C. Gayle c Akmal b Naved-ul-Hasan 22
X. Marshall c Akmal b Naved-ul-Hasan 3
R. Sarwan c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Ahmad 9
R. Morton c Akmal b Afridi 13
S. Chanderpaul c Akmal b Razzaq 13
W. Hinds b Razzaq 11
D. Bravo c Afridi b Ahmad 27
C. Browne c & b Afridi 0
I. Bradshaw c & b Razzaq 17
D. Powell b Razzaq 6
C. Collymore not out 1
Extras (lb1 nb8 w2) 11
TOTAL (all out, 45.2 overs) 133
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-26, 3-43, 4-58, 5-74, 6-76, 7-77, 8-116, 9-127,10-133.
Bowling: Naved-ul-Hasan 9-0-23-2 (nb2), Anjum 7-1-30-0 (w1), Ahmad 9.2-2-19-2 (nb1), Afridi 10-0-28-2 (nb4 w1), Razzaq 9-1-29-4 (nb1), Malik 1-0-3-0.
Toss: West Indies.
Man of the Match: Abdul Razzaq.
Umpires: E Nicholls and D Shepherd.
TV Umpire: B Doctrove.
Match Referee: RS Madugalle.
