West Indies' Brian Lara (left) and Pakistan's Inzamam ul-Haq share a joke during the presentation ceremony at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore yesterday. A century from captain Lara could not prevent West Indies from tumbling to a nine-wicket defeat by Pakistan on the fourth day of the first Test yesterday. - Reuters

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP):

PAKISTAN WHIPPED the West Indies by nine wickets yesterday despite Brian Lara smashing his 33rd century in Test cricket on the fourth day of the first Test.

Lara made a fluent 122 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul braved dehydration to score a fighting 81 before the West Indies crumbled to 291 for an overall lead of just 12 runs.

Pakistan, who scored 485 in reply to the West Indies first innings score of 206, lost their opener Mohammad Hafeez (one) before racing to 13-1 in fading light.

Pakistan's second-strength fast bowlers Umar Gul (4-99) and Shahid Nazir (3-63) once again shared the bulk of wickets like they did in the first innings and made up for the loss of two key banned fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

Gul finished the match with impressive figures of 9-164 and Nazir claimed 6-105.

The left-handed experienced batting pair of Lara and Chanderpaul featured in a 137-run partnership and defied Pakistan bowlers for three and a quarter hours with some impressive strokeplay.

Lara's departure at the total of 238 midway into the second session ended the West Indies' resistance as they lost their last six wickets for 53 runs.

Chanderpaul, who hit eight fours in his 178 ball innings, was the eighth wicket to fall when one run was still needed to wipe out the 279-run deficit. He top-edged a Nazir delivery with the second new ball to Mohammad Yousuf.

Lara, the leading scorer in Test cricket, was trapped lbw by part-time off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez off a delivery that kept straight. The elegant left-handed Lara entertained with 19 boundaries in his 215-ball knock of five hours.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal fumbled a stumping opportunity off Chanderpaul soon after Lara was dismissed while Imran Farhat dropped a regulation catch at forward short leg before Dwayne Bravo had scored.

Bravo struggled for 19 deliveries to score two runs but left the West Indies lurching at 248 for six when Gul had him lbw.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria (1-78) finally got a wicket in his 27th over of the innings when he had Denesh Ramdin (one) caught close to the wicket by Farhat.

It was another debatable decision by Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva as television replays showed the ball had not had contact with Ramdin's bat.

Lara completed his third successive Test century against Pakistan off 180 balls soon after the lunch break when he hit a cracking square cut off Gul for his 16th boundary.

Lara is now third on the list of all-time leading century-makers in Test cricket behind Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar (35) and Sunil Gavaskar (34).

Chanderpaul followed with his half century off 116 balls with five boundaries before Hafeez removed Lara and the West Indies lost their way.

Earlier, the West Indies lost just one wicket in the first session - nightwatchman Fidel Edwards (10) - and added 114 runs after they resumed at their overnight 74 for three.

Lara, resuming on 28, batted aggressively and brought up his half century with a well-timed straight driven boundary off Gul.

The second Test begins at Multan from Sunday while Karachi will host the last Test of the series from November 27-December 1 before both teams compete in five limited-overs internationals.

West Indies first innings 206

Pakistan first innings 485

West Indies second innings

(Resumed at 74 for three)

B. Lara lbw Hafeez