West Indian skipper Shivanrine Chanderpaul salutes the crowd after reaching his century in the third day of the first Test against Pakistan at Kensington Oval, Barbados, yesterday - DELLMARBRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC): WEST INDIES captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul completed a solid, unbeaten century and then got further joy as his team moved within sight of victory in the first Digicel Test at Kensington Oval yesterday.
The 30-year-old Chanderpaul atoned for his disappointment of falling for 92 in the first innings to hit 153 not out in a second innings total of 371 all out just before tea.
It was his 14th century in 85 Tests and first against Pakistan. The Guyanese batted for 349 minutes, faced 254 balls and struck ten boundaries and two sixes.
"It's always good to get a Test hundred. It doesn't matter who you are playing against. I know it's my first against Pakistan and I am happy," Chanderpaul said.
Set 573 for victory in two days and a session or a minimum of 214 overs, Pakistan reached 113 for four in even time off 23 overs by the close of the third day yesterday.
DISASTER
They had a disastrous start as left-hander Salman Butt edged the third ball of the innings from first innings destroyer Fidel Edwards to second slip where Chris Gayle held an excellent, low catch before a run was scored.
More disaster struck in an eventful third over which was completed by Reon King after Edwards left the field with a strained hamstring injury after the second ball. Immediately Yasir Hameed drove to extra-cover and captain Younis Khan raced down the pitch for a single.
Chanderpaul pounced on the ball and hit the stumps in one motion with both batsmen stranded at the striker's end looking at each other helplessly as Younis was run out, also without scoring.
Then Hameed (11) pushed at an outswinger from Daren Powell and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Courtney Browne moving to his right.
Bazid Khan, in his first Test, and Asim Kamal both played some positive, well-timed strokes in taking the score to 46 for three off 9.4 overs before rain stopped play just before 4:00 p.m local time.
It held up play for 54 minutes and in the second ball after the resumption, Bazid was leg before wicket on the backfoot by Corey Collymore for 23 as he played back and across.
But the elegant Asim Kamal and a typically, aggressive Shahid Afridi counter-attacked in an unfinished stand of 66 in 13 overs.
STRONG SHOW
Kamal was on 38 with five boundaries and a six, and Afridi on 32 off 29 balls. Play starts today at 9.36 a.m.
Earlier, West Indies ground down the Pakistanis after resuming on 168 for four with Chanderpaul on 37 and Wavell Hinds 14.
Chanderpaul reached his half-century in 140 minutes off 106 deliveries with three boundaries.
Mixing solid defence with excellent strokes, the pair brought up their century partnership in 134 minutes off 207 balls with Chanderpaul on 61 and Hinds 31.
They carried their partnership to 134 before Hinds missed a drive off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in the last over before lunch and was bowled for 52. He batted for 161 minutes, faced 129 deliveries and struck six fours.
By then West Indies were 271 for five with Chanderpaul on 93.
Even though Pakistan managed to remove Browne shortly after the interval by way of a juggling catch by wicketkeeper Akram Kamal as he pushed uncertainly at legspinner Afridi, they were frustrated by the tailenders who gave Chanderpaul admirable support.
Chanderpaul moved to 99 by driving Kaneria sweetly to the extra-cover boundary before turning the next ball to fine-leg for two.
His century came in 247 minutes off 186 balls and contained six fours and a six. He promptly celebrated by pulling over midwicket for six.
Pacer Rana Naved pierced Powell's defence to bowl him for five after a stand of 33 but Edwards brought the crowd to life with a few neat flicks and firm drives including one to through mid-off off Naved.
He put on 46 with Chanderpaul and recorded his highest Test score of 20 before edging a lifter from Shabbir to the 'keeper.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies first innings 345
Pakistan first innings 144
West Indies second innings
(Resumed at 168-4)
S. Chanderpaul not out 153
W. Hinds b Kaneria 52
C. Browne c Akmal b Afridi 1
D. Powell b Naved-ul-Hasan 5
F. Edwards c Akmal b Ahmad 20
R. King b Ahmad 5
C. Collymore lbw Razzaq 0
Extras: (b-4 lb-9 nb-11 w-2) 26
Total: (all out - 102 overs) 371
Fall: 1-59 2-64 3-65 4-137 5-271 6-274 7-307 8-353 9-367 10-371.
Bowling: Naved-ul-Hasan 24-7-88-1 (nb-1 w-1), Ahmad 20-2-70-2 (nb-3 w-1), Kaneria 26-4-115-2 (nb-1), Razzaq 15-4-36-2, Afridi 17-3-49-3 (nb-6).
Pakistan second innings
S. Butt c Gayle b Edwards 0
Y. Hameed c Browne b Powell 11
Y. Khan run out 0
B. Khan lbw b Collymore 23
A. Kamal not out 38
S. Afridi not out 32
Extras: (lb-3 nb-6) 9
Total: (for four wkts - 23 overs) 113
Fall: 1-0 2-1 3-16 4-47
Bowling: Edwards 1.2-1-0-1, Powell 4-1-20-1 (nb-1), King 7.4-0-56-0
(nb-3), Collymore 6-1-24-1 (nb-2), Gayle 3-0-9-0, W. Hinds 1-0-1-0.
