Pakistan's Imran Farhat plays a shot off the bowling of West Indies' Daren Powell (right) as Denesh Ramdin (left) and Dwayne Bravo (second right) watch on the third day of the final Test at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday. - Reuters

KARACHI (Reuters):

MOHAMMAD HAFEEZ scored an undefeated 57 to give Pakistan a lead of 174 runs at close of play on the third day of the final Test against the West Indies yesterday.

Pakistan reached 130 for two after plodding along in the final two sessions having bowled out West Indies for 260 runs at the stroke of lunch for a first-innings lead of 44.

The home side lost Younis Khan, celebrating his 29th birthday, leg before for 20 three overs from the end and Hafeez was joined by Mohammad Yousuf who requires 46 to break West Indian Vivian Richards's record of 1,710 Test runs in a calendar year, set in 1976.

Opener Imran Farhat went before tea, caught behind by keeper Denesh Ramdin off Daren Powell for a torturous 20 runs from 71 balls.

Struggled

He and Hafeez struggled to put on 43 runs in 23 overs.

Younis tried to break the shackles by hitting four boundaries and a big six from 99 deliveries. His aggression spurred Hafeez to play some slick leg-side boundaries to reach his fourth 50 from 119 balls.

But proceedings remained slow as the home side tried to bat West Indies out of the series.

The West Indian bowlers made the batsmen work hard for their runs on a slow pitch and kept the scoring rate down to under three an over.

Corey Collymore, the best of the lot, beat the batsmen with some fine deliveries, but remained wicketless.

Pakistan, who lead the series 1-0, were frustrated in the morning by a defiant 44-run partnership between last-wicket pair Denesh Ramdin and Collymore.

Wicketkeeper Ramdin, who resumed the innings on 191 for six with Daren Ganga on 77, was run out by a throw from Yousuf from the deep five minutes before lunch after scoring his fourth 50 in his 15th Test.

Early blows

He nursed Collymore (eight not out) through the partnership, which came after Pakistan struck early blows to reduce the visitors to 216 for nine from their overnight 191 for six.

Pakistan dismissed Ganga in the fifth over of the day when he was caught behind off Abdul Razzaq for 81.

"Daren's wicket was a setback, but I decided to keep my head down and get a partnership going on a pitch that eased out a bit today," Ramdin said.

"The bounce is a bit more even after the first two days but it is still very slow," he said.

After taking the second new ball, Umar Gul bowled Powell (one) and Shahid Nazir had Jerome Taylor caught behind.

Gul, Pakistan's best bowler in the series, finished with four for 79.

Pakistan first innings 304

West Indies first innings (Resumed at 191 for six)

D. Ganga c Akmal b Razzaq